factual

What obligation does the franchisee have regarding Hydrodog's Confidential Information?

Hydrodog Franchise · 2025 FDD

Answer from 2025 FDD Document

are confidential. You acknowledge that we and the Franchisor have provided you with specialized and extensive training regarding the Business and that we have developed extensive customer goodwill. We have an obligation under our Franchise Agreement to maintain the Confidential Information as secret and confidential. You represent to us and the Franchisor that you have other skills that you can utilize if, for any reason, your relationship with us ends.

OPERATIVE TERMS:

Accordingly, you and we agree as follows:

    1. Confidentiality. You will (a) not use the Confidential Information in any other business or capacity; (b) maintain the absolute confidentiality of the Confidential Information during and after the term of the Franchise Agreement and your employment by, or association with, us; (c) not make unauthorized copies of any portion of the Confidential Information disclosed in written form; and (d) comply with all procedures we prescribe from time to time to prevent unauthorized use or disclosure of the Confidential Information.
    1. Competitive Restrictions. During the time that you are associated with us, as an employee or independent contractor and for a period of two (2) years following the termination of such association, unless we and the Franchisor otherwise permit in writing and except on our behalf, you will not:
    • (a) have any direct or indirect interest (e.g., through a spouse or child) as a disclosed or beneficial owner, investor, partner, director, officer, employee, consultant, member, manager, representative, or agent or in any other capacity in any business or facility owning, operating, managing, or granting franchises or licenses to others to do so, or in any Competitive Business operating:

  • (i) within the Territory;
  • (ii) within twenty-five (25) miles of the Territory; or
  • (iii) within twenty-five (25) miles of any other HydroDog Business or its Territory in operation or under construction on the later of the effective date of the termination or expiration of your employment or the date on which you comply with such restrictions (see Section 5 below).
  • (b) on behalf of yourself or any other person, or in any capacity associated with any other person or entity, solicit, divert, take away, or interfere with any of the business, customers, vendors, suppliers, franchisees or contractors of ours or the Franchisor, our or its affiliates or any of its franchisees as may exist during the term of this Agreement or thereafter.

The words "Competitive Business" refers to any business or facility that owns, operates, manages, grants, sells, offers or supports franchises or licenses to others to do so, any mobile, fixed, or internet or catalog based business or facility that provides pet grooming, pet care, pet products or services, or any other pet-related products and services that are identical, similar to, competitive with, or substitutable for the Products and Services offered by HydroDog Businesses, whether now existing or hereafter developed, excluding any HydroDog Business under a franchise agreement with us, or any other business that we, at our sole discretion, determine to be competitive.

    1. Confidential Information You will not acquire any interest in the Confidential Information. The use or duplication of any Confidential Information in any other business will constitute an unfair method of competition. You will not disclose, leak, divulge, disseminate, reveal, make available, replicate, duplicate (in any form, tangible or intangible) or otherwise communicate all or any portion of the Confidential Information to any other person or entity, or use it for any purpose other than while you are working with us at the Business under a Franchise Agreement with Franchisor, either directly or indirectly. You will use the highest degree of care to safeguard the confidentiality of the Confidential Information and not make any copies of the Confidential Information (printed or an intangible form).

Source: Item 23 — RECEIPTS (FDD pages 43–166)

What This Means (2025 FDD)

According to Hydrodog's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, franchisees have several obligations regarding confidential information. Franchisees must maintain the absolute confidentiality of Hydrodog's Confidential Information during and after the term of the Franchise Agreement. This includes not using the confidential information in any other business or capacity. Franchisees also cannot disclose, leak, divulge, disseminate, reveal, make available, replicate, duplicate, or otherwise communicate any portion of the Confidential Information to any other person or entity, or use it for any purpose other than while working with Hydrodog under a Franchise Agreement.

Hydrodog franchisees must use the highest degree of care to safeguard the confidentiality of the Confidential Information and not make any unauthorized copies. They must also follow all reasonable procedures prescribed by Hydrodog to prevent unauthorized use or disclosure of the Confidential Information. This includes restricting its disclosure to personnel needing to know such Confidential Information to operate the Hydrodog Business and requiring all employees and independent contractors having access to Confidential Information to sign confidentiality and non-competition agreements in a form acceptable to Hydrodog. Hydrodog has the right to regulate the form of confidentiality and non-competition agreement that the franchisee uses and to be a third-party beneficiary of that agreement with independent enforcement rights.

Furthermore, the client database, which includes names, addresses, and other information regarding current, former, and prospective clients, is considered part of the Confidential Information and is Hydrodog's property. Franchisees cannot disclose, sell, assign, transfer, or convey the Client Database to any person other than Hydrodog, either during or after the term of the agreement. A breach of this section can result in immediate termination of the Franchise Agreement. Franchisees also must disclose to Hydrodog all ideas, techniques, services, and products concerning the development and operation of their Hydrodog Business that they or their employees conceive or develop during the term of the agreement, granting Hydrodog a perpetual, irrevocable, royalty-free, non-exclusive, transferable, and worldwide right to use, modify, exploit, and sublicense these ideas.

Disclaimer: This information is extracted from the 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document and is provided for research purposes only. It does not constitute legal or financial advice. Consult with a franchise attorney before making any investment decisions.