America’s Best Franchises (ABF) Brand Insight —
Most pet franchises do one thing. Woofie’s does three from the same van — mobile grooming, dog walking and pet sitting — which means a client acquired for one service can be sold the other two. That cross-sell is the whole model, and it produces recurring revenue from customers who book weekly rather than seasonally. It runs home-based out of wrapped vans, so there is no facility, and the vans do the local advertising.
At a Glance
- Liquid Capital Required: $80,000 (readily available cash or cash-equivalent assets — not from borrowing, selling a primary residence, or relying on future income)
- Ownership Model: Owner-operator at start; semi-absentee once established
- Location Type: Home-based, mobile service vans
- Time Commitment: Full-time
- Experience Required: None in pet care
About Woofie’s
Woofie’s was founded in 2004 by neighbors Amy Reed and Leslie Barron, who saw demand for premium pet care in their community. Franchising began in 2018 and the system now operates across more than 100 territories. Woofie’s is now part of the Authority Brands family and benefits from the advanced level of resources that come
from a family of brands.
Owners deliver mobile grooming, dog walking and pet sitting from wrapped service vans, with overnight sitting and pet taxi available as additional services. Territories are protected and selected using demographic data on income, home values and pet density. Item 19 is disclosed and the brand is SBA registered.
Why Own a Woofie’s Franchise?
- Three services sold to one client base — grooming, walking and sitting cross-sell to the same households.
- Home-based with mobile vans, so there is no facility to lease and no buildout to manage.
- Named the number one dog-walking and pet-sitting franchise in the 2026 Entrepreneur Franchise 500.
- Pet care is treated as essential spending, and clients book weekly rather than seasonally.
- Wrapped vans work as mobile billboards, generating local awareness every day they are out.
Why This Opportunity, Why Now
ABF Market Analysis —
Americans spent roughly $157 billion on pets in 2025, and 66% of US households now have one — about 65 million with a dog and 46 million with a cat. Spending has held through every recent downturn because people treat pets as family rather than as a discretionary expense. What has changed is convenience: owners increasingly want the service to come to the house rather than dropping the dog off somewhere, which is where a mobile model has the advantage.
ABF Timing Insight —
Woofie’s has been operating since 2004 and franchising since 2018, so the model was proven for fourteen years before the first territory sold. The brand also holds partnerships with the AKC, The Farmer’s Dog, Ancestry and a veterinary telehealth provider, which is an impressive reach for a system this size. Territories are demographically screened and protected, and the map is open in most states.
Training and Support
- Training blends online modules with in-person hands-on instruction covering operations, grooming standards, sales, and management, with resources for the owner and key staff.
- All owners complete a four-hour Pet First Aid and CPR course and receive certification before opening.
- A management team member is on site during opening to support and celebrate the owner and staff through the grand opening event.
- Pre-launch and grand opening marketing assistance covers local campaigns, PR strategy, and the opening event itself.
- Integrated technology assists with email, calls, texts, scheduling, and GPS tracking of service vans, with ongoing leadership and hiring training.
Who Are We Looking For
- Genuine animal lover with real business acumen
- Management and customer service experience
- Comfortable reading financial statements and basic accounting
- Wants to be involved in daily operations, not just oversight
- Committed to community involvement and local giving
Who Is Not A Good Fit
- Cannot document at least $80,000 in liquid capital
- Wants a fully absentee investment from day one
- Uncomfortable hiring and retaining groomers and pet care staff
- Unwilling to be visible in the community and build local relationships
- Prefers a business that does one thing rather than several
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Do I need pet care or grooming experience?
A: No. Training covers grooming standards, operations and management, and owners hire trained groomers. Business and management experience matters more.
Q: Can I run this without being involved day to day?
A: Not at the start. Woofie’s expects owners to be hands-on while the business establishes, with a path to semi-absentee once operations are running.
Q: How does territory protection work?
A: Territories are protected — no other Woofie’s services your area. They are selected using demographic data on income, home values and pet density.
Q: How many employees will I need?
A: Around three to start, typically groomers and pet care staff. Franchisees are well trained in interviewing and hiring.
Q: What services generate revenue?
A: Mobile grooming, dog walking and pet sitting are the core three. Overnight sitting, pet taxi and add-ons such as training provide additional streams.
Next Steps
If you are drawn to a home-based business with no facility to lease, three revenue streams selling to the same clients, weekly recurring bookings, and a category people spend on in any economy, Woofie’s is worth a direct conversation. Complete the form below to request a qualification review and discuss territory availability for Woofie’s.
This profile represents general franchise information. Individual results may vary. Refer to the Franchise Disclosure Document for complete details.
Day in The Life of Woofie's Franchise: Tara Sobek
Amy Addington, President of Woofie's talks about the brand.
“I loved the idea of having support behind me and already having so much of the legwork done, and Woofie’s has an amazing playbook to help owners get started.”