If I develop any new ideas related to the operation of my Hydrodog business, what am I required to do?
Hydrodog Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
If you or your owners develop or learn of any new ideas, concepts, processes, techniques or improvements relating to the operation or promotion of your HydroDog Business, you must promptly notify us and give us all necessary information about such ideas, concepts, processes, techniques or improvements, without compensation. These ideas, concepts, processes, techniques or improvements will be considered our property and part of the System and will be considered works made-for-hire for us. You and your owners must sign whatever documents we request to evidence our ownership or to assist us in securing intellectual property rights in such ideas, concepts, processes, techniques or improvements.
You must disclose to us all ideas, techniques, services and products concerning the development and operation of your HydroDog Business that you or your employees conceive or develop during the term of this Agreement. You must grant to us and agree to obtain from your owners, employees, contractors, and agents a perpetual, irrevocable, royalty-free, non-exclusive, transferable, and worldwide right to use, modify, exploit, and sublicense these ideas, techniques, innovations, improvements and products concerning the development and operation of Franchised Business that you or your employees, contractors, or agents conceive or develop during the term of this Agreement in all pet-related product and service businesses. We will have no obligation to make any lump sum or on-going payments to you with respect to any idea, concept, method, technique or product. You must agree that you will not use nor will you allow any other person or entity to use any of these ideas, techniques or products without obtaining our prior written approval. Such ideas, techniques, services and products will be deemed to be our sole and exclusive property, part of the System, and works made-for-hire for us. To the extent any item does not qualify as a "work made-for-hire" for us, by this paragraph you assign ownership of that item, and all related rights to that item, to us and agree to sign whatever assignment or other documents we request to evidence our ownership or to help us obtain intellectual property rights in the item.
Source: Item 14 — PATENTS, COPYRIGHTS AND PROPRIETARY INFORMATION (FDD pages 33–34)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Hydrodog's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, if you or your owners develop or learn of any new ideas, concepts, processes, techniques or improvements relating to the operation or promotion of your HydroDog Business, you are required to promptly notify Hydrodog. You must provide all necessary information about these developments without expecting compensation.
These new developments will be considered Hydrodog's property and part of their existing system. They will be treated as "works made-for-hire" for Hydrodog. As a franchisee, you and your owners must sign any documents Hydrodog requests to confirm their ownership or to help them secure intellectual property rights for these new ideas.
Furthermore, you must disclose all ideas, techniques, services, and products concerning the development and operation of your Hydrodog business that you or your employees conceive or develop during the term of the Franchise Agreement. You must grant Hydrodog a perpetual, irrevocable, royalty-free, non-exclusive, transferable, and worldwide right to use, modify, exploit, and sublicense these ideas. Hydrodog will not be obligated to make any payments to you for these ideas, and you cannot use or allow others to use these ideas without Hydrodog's prior written approval.