Are there any effective determinations by the Copyright Office or any court regarding any of the copyrighted materials for Hydrodog?

According to Hydrodog's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, there are currently no effective determinations by the Copyright Office or any court regarding any of the copyrighted materials associated with the Hydrodog franchise system. Hydrodog claims copyright protection and proprietary rights in all copyrightable aspects of their system. This includes the Operations Manual, website, franchisee communications, training, advertising and promotional materials, and other written materials used in operating a HydroDog Business.

This means that as of the FDD date, there are no legal rulings or decisions that limit Hydrodog's copyright claims or their franchisees' ability to use the copyrighted materials. Additionally, there are no agreements in effect that would restrict Hydrodog's right to use or authorize franchisees to use these materials. Hydrodog also states they are not aware of any infringing uses that could materially affect the use of copyrighted materials in any state.

Hydrodog states that they are not required by any agreement to protect or defend copyrights or confidential information, although they intend to do so when in the best interest of the System. However, Hydrodog need not participate in a franchisee's defense or indemnify them for damages or expenses in proceedings involving a copyright. This indicates that while Hydrodog intends to protect its copyright, the franchisee may bear the responsibility for defending their use of Hydrodog's copyrighted materials in certain legal situations.

Prospective franchisees should be aware that Hydrodog's Operations Manual and other provided materials contain confidential information and trade secrets. Franchisees and their owners must not disclose or use this information for anyone else's benefit during the franchise term, and they must return it to Hydrodog upon termination or expiration of the Franchise Agreement. Hydrodog may also require the franchisee's employees, independent contractors, or agents to sign a non-disclosure and non-competition agreement.