What are the approved certification program options for HydroDog franchisees?
Hydrodog Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
If you are an individual owner/operator, you must be trained as a professional dog groomer through either: (i) an approved certification program, (ii) an apprenticeship program of not less than one (1) month and not more than three (3) months, or (iii) attendance at a third-party dog grooming academy or school that we approve, prior to attending our Initial Training.
Source: Item 1 — THE FRANCHISOR, AND ANY PARENTS, PREDECESSORS AND AFFILIATES (FDD pages 8–10)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to HydroDog's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, if you are an individual owner/operator, you must be trained as a professional dog groomer prior to attending the initial training. The FDD outlines three options to fulfill this requirement.
The first option is completing an approved certification program. The second option is an apprenticeship program lasting between one and three months. The third option is attending a third-party dog grooming academy or school that HydroDog approves.
It is important for prospective franchisees to understand that if they plan to be owner/operators, they must complete one of these training options before attending HydroDog's initial training. Further investigation is needed to determine which certification programs, apprenticeship programs, and third-party dog grooming academies or schools are approved by HydroDog. Contacting existing franchisees may provide insight into the quality and availability of these options.