Can Hydrodog change or dissolve the advisory council at any time?
Hydrodog Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
We reserve the right, in our Reasonable Business Judgment, to establish an advisory council comprised of franchisees and our representatives.
Franchisee participants will be chosen by us or may be elected by other franchisees in the System.
If you are selected to participate on an advisory council, we will pay all reasonable expenses you incur related to your participation, such as travel and boarding expenses to attend council meetings, subject to our approval.
If established, the advisory council will act in an advisory capacity only and will not have decision making authority.
The advisory council would be governed by bylaws.
We have the right to establish, change, merge or dissolve any advisory council at any time.
Source: Item 23 — RECEIPTS (FDD pages 43–166)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Hydrodog's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, Hydrodog has the authority to establish, alter, merge, or dissolve any advisory council at any point in time. Hydrodog also reserves the right to remove council members at its discretion. The advisory council, if established, serves only in an advisory capacity and lacks decision-making authority, with its operations governed by bylaws.
This means that while Hydrodog may create an advisory council consisting of franchisees and company representatives, Hydrodog ultimately controls the council's existence and composition. Franchisee participation on the council is by selection or election, with Hydrodog covering reasonable expenses like travel and lodging for council meetings, subject to approval.
For a prospective Hydrodog franchisee, this indicates that any input or feedback provided through the advisory council is not binding on Hydrodog. The franchisor retains full control over decisions, and the advisory council's role is purely consultative. This is a fairly common arrangement in franchising, where the franchisor typically maintains ultimate authority over the brand and system standards. However, franchisees should recognize that their influence through the advisory council may be limited.