What are franchisees and employees of All Dogs Unleashed required to maintain regarding the manuals?
All_Dogs_Unleashed Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
ays following your receipt of Franchisor's written notice to you, and you are responsible for all related costs and expenses.
ARTICLE 8 SYSTEM, MANUALS, AND CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION
- 8.1. Manuals. Franchisor will provide you on loan one copy of the Manuals. You shall operate the Franchised Business in accordance with the standards, methods, policies, and procedures specified in the Manuals. The Manuals shall at all times remain the sole property of Franchisor and shall be kept in a secure place. You shall ensure that your copy of the Manuals are kept current at all times, and in the event of any dispute as to the contents of the Manuals, the terms of the master copy of the Manuals maintained by Franchisor shall be controlling. If your copy of the Manuals is lost or destroyed, or if you fail to return the Manuals upon expiration or termination of this Agreement, you must pay us a $500 replacement fee per Manual.
- 8.2. System Modification. You acknowledge that the System, Franchisor's confidential Manuals, and the products and services offered by the Franchised Business may be modified, (such as, but not limited to, the addition, deletion, and modification of operating procedures, products and services) from time to time by Franchisor. You agree to comply, at your expense, with all such modifications. Franchisor shall notify you of any such System changes and you shall implement any System changes upon receipt of notice thereof from Franchisor, and shall complete their implementation within such time as Franchisor may reasonably specify.
- 8.3. Confidentiality. You shall maintain the confidentiality of all Confidential Information. You shall use Confidential Information only in connection with the operation of the Franchised Business, and shall divulge Confidential Information only to your employees and only on a need to know basis.
Source: Item 14 — PATENTS, COPYRIGHTS AND PROPRIETARY INFORMATION (FDD pages 28–29)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to the 2025 All Dogs Unleashed Franchise Disclosure Document, franchisees are loaned a copy of the manuals and must operate their franchised business according to the standards, methods, policies, and procedures outlined within. The manuals remain the sole property of All Dogs Unleashed and must be kept in a secure place. Franchisees must ensure their copy of the manuals is current, with the franchisor's master copy serving as the controlling reference in case of disputes. If a manual is lost, destroyed, or not returned upon termination of the agreement, the franchisee must pay All Dogs Unleashed a $500 replacement fee per manual.
All Dogs Unleashed may modify the system, confidential manuals, and the products and services offered, including changes to operating procedures, products, and services. Franchisees must comply with these modifications at their own expense and implement system changes upon receiving notice from All Dogs Unleashed within a reasonable timeframe specified by the franchisor. Franchisees must maintain the confidentiality of all confidential information, using it only for operating the franchised business and divulging it to employees only on a need-to-know basis; this obligation survives the termination or expiration of the agreement.
These stipulations are fairly standard in franchising, as franchisors need to maintain consistency across all locations. The manuals contain the brand's operating procedures, and franchisees are expected to adhere to them. The manuals are considered confidential information, so franchisees and their employees must not share the contents with unauthorized parties. The $500 replacement fee for a lost manual is a fairly standard charge, as it covers the cost of printing and shipping a new manual. Prospective franchisees should inquire about how often the manuals are updated and how they will be notified of any changes.