Must the Hydrodog Business Manager be certified through the HydroDog Grooming Academy?
Hydrodog Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
Either you, or one of your principal owners (with ownership of at least 20% of your Business Entity) must meet our qualifications and participate personally in the direct operation of your HydroDog Business ("Business Manager"). The Business Manager must be trained as a professional dog groomer, certified through the HydroDog Grooming Academy.
At all times, your HydroDog Business must be under the direct supervision of your Business Manager. Our current qualifications for Business Managers are: (i) have a sufficient amount of experience to demonstrate to us that he/she is capable of managing a HydroDog Business; (ii) have management responsibility and authority over the HydroDog Business on a day-to-day basis; (iii) be actively employed on a full-time basis to manage HydroDog Business operations; (iv) satisfactorily complete our initial
training program and any other training programs we require during the term of your Franchise Agreement; and (v) hold at least 20% ownership interest of the Business Entity.
Source: Item 15 — OBLIGATION TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ACTUAL OPERATION OF THE FRANCHISE BUSINESS (FDD pages 34–35)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Hydrodog's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, if you operate the franchise as a business entity, either you or one of your principal owners (with at least 20% ownership) must serve as the Business Manager. This Business Manager is required to be trained as a professional dog groomer and certified through the HydroDog Grooming Academy.
The Business Manager is responsible for the direct supervision of the HydroDog business at all times. To qualify as a Business Manager, individuals must demonstrate sufficient experience to manage the HydroDog Business, hold management responsibility and authority over day-to-day operations, be actively employed full-time in managing the business, complete the initial training program and any other required training, and hold at least a 20% ownership interest in the business entity.
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 Hydrodog approves, prior to attending their Initial Training. This provides alternative options to the HydroDog Grooming Academy for individual owner/operators.