FDD Talk: Camp Bow Wow Franchise Review (Financial Performance Analysis, Costs, Fees, and More) (2024)

In this FDD Talk post, you’ll learn the following:

• Section I – Background information on the Camp Bow Wow franchise opportunity, including relevant news updates

• Section II – Estimated initial investment for a Camp Bow Wow franchise, based on Item 7 of the company’s 2019 FDD

• Section III – Initial franchise fee, royalty fee, marketing fee, and other fees for a Camp Bow Wow franchise, based on Items 5 and 6 of the company’s 2019 FDD

• Section IV – Number of franchised and company-owned Camp Bow Wow outlets at the start of the year and the end of the year for 2016, 2017, and 2018, based on Item 20 of the company’s 2019 FDD

• Section V – Presentation and analysis of Camp Bow Wow’s financial performance representations, based on Item 19 of the company’s 2019 FDD, including information on the:

• 2018 average, median, high, and low gross revenue for the top 25%, bottom 25%, and all Camp Bow Wow franchises that were open and operating for more than 12 months as of December 31, 2018

• 2018 average annual occupancy expense, average labor expense percentage, and average owner’s discretionary income for the top 25%, bottom 25%, and all Camp Bow Wow franchises that were open and operating for more than 12 months as of December 31, 2018 and submitted data to the franchisor in time to be included in this Item 19

• 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018 consolidated gross revenue for camp services, dog training services, retail, and all other approved products and services for all Camp Bow Wow locations that were open and operating for any length of time from 2014-2018 calendar years

Section I – Background Information

20 Things You Need to Know About the Camp Bow Wow Franchise

Appoints New President

1. At the beginning of September 2019, Camp Bow Wow appointed Julie Turner as the company’s
new president. Turner formerly served as vice president of marketing for Camp Bow Wow, and brings over five years’ experience developing and leading the internal marketing team for the fast-growing franchise company.

2. As president of Camp Bow Wow, Turner will continue to propel the company forward as a leader in the pet care industry. With a focus on integrating new technologies and implementing operational efficiencies, Turner will utilize her in-depth brand knowledge to drive unit level economics and maximize profitability for each of the brand’s franchise locations.

3. She will also continue to grow longstanding relationships with the franchise owners to foster a collaborative culture that leverages their insights to fuel innovation for Camp Bow Wow. In addition, Turner will focus on accelerating system growth on a domestic level, and drive international expansion for Camp Bow Wow in Canada.

4. Doug Drew, president of Mars Veterinary Health North America, parent company of Camp Bow Wow, said, “Julie’s brand leadership at Camp Bow Wow over the past five years has helped pave the way for the company’s continued excellence and expansion in the market. As President, we are confident that Julie’s organizational knowledge, experienced leadership and proven passion will ensure Camp Bow Wow’s continued success for years to come.”

5. According to Turner, “I am honored to take on the role as President of Camp Bow Wow, and assume leadership of a brand whose mission and services I so strongly believe in. At Camp Bow Wow, everyone shares a passion for what we do and it’s inspiring to lead a team who embodies the brand’s commitment to ensuring all dogs lead happy, healthy lives. I’m excited to work collaboratively with our corporate staff and franchise owners to maintain, and ultimately grow, Camp Bow Wow’s leadership position as the number one rated and most trusted pet care franchise.”

6. In her previous role as vice president of marketing for Camp Bow Wow, Turner provided strategic leadership for all brand marketing, communications, and program development. Since joining Camp Bow Wow in 2014, Turner has led a full company rebrand, doubled the size of the marketing department, and developed an impactful vision for Camp Bow Wow’s non-profit organization, The Bow Wow Buddies Foundation, that has provided over $500,000 in grants to help 400+ dogs in need.

7. Further, Turner created and executed the brand’s annual #GiveAFetch campaign, which has received a Gold Stevie Award for “Marketing Campaign of the Year” and Franchise Innovation Award’s “Best Social Media Campaign.”

8. In addition to her experience with Camp Bow Wow, Turner brings an impressive record in the corporate environment, having held various roles with Dish Network and Whirlpool Corporation. Turner’s unique professional background, with expertise in many areas of organizational knowledge, including business strategy, operations, product development, and technology, allowed her to integrate and expand across many departments during her tenure as vice president of marketing for Camp Bow Wow.

9. With Turner’s leadership announcement, Christy Barnes, formerly serving as senior marketing manager, has been appointed as director of marketing for Camp Bow Wow. A member of the internal marketing team since 2013, Barnes has played an integral role in developing and growing the company’s marketing initiatives on a national and franchise level.

Heightens Position as Leading Pet Care Franchisor with Record Franchise Sales and Growth Achievements

10. In early January 2020, Camp Bow Wow announced a record franchise sales year with a 16% increase in units sold that continued to propel the company forward as a leader in the pet care industry in 2019. Through the achievements of the company’s corporate team and franchise network, the brand welcomed over 230,000 customers in the past year with 4.7 million dog visits.

11. As the largest pet care franchise, Camp Bow Wow grew the brand’s presence across North America in 2019 and penetrated new markets through strategic franchisee partners:

• Opened 13 new camps nationwide, with 5 of the camps located in Texas;
• Brought Camp Bow Wow to multiple markets for the first time, including Mississippi and Oregon;
• Filed the brand’s first Canadian Franchise Disclosure Document in September 2019 to poise the brand for rapid international expansion.

12. In conjunction with the growth of Camp Bow Wow’s franchise network, the company was also awarded numerous accolades as a further testament to its leadership position in the doggy day care and boarding sector:

• Recognized by Franchise Update Media’s Franchise Innovation Awards as the Best Social Media Campaign for Camp Bow Wow’s #GiveAFetch initiative;
• Awarded Silver in the 9th annual Best in Biz Awards for both Creative Department of the Year and Technology Department of the Year categories;
• Received the Bronze American Business Award in the Information Technology Team of the Year category by the American Stevie Awards;
• Named in April 2019 for a third year in a row on Entrepreneur’s Best of the Best List;
• Named as a Franchise of the Future by Entrepreneur in December 2019.

13. Julie Turner, president of Camp Bow Wow, said, “Our company’s momentum speaks to the successful and collaborative partnership between our corporate support team and franchise owners. As we enter 2020, we’re excited to continue our strategic growth with new Camps across the United States and Canada, and provide our premium services to more happy Campers than ever before.”

Grows Presence in Canada

14. In early October 2019, Camp Bow Wow announced the filing of its Franchise Disclosure Document in Canada to grow the $125+ million-dollar brand’s presence in the country. Expanding upon Camp Bow Wow’s current Canadian location in Halifax, the brand’s high-growth franchise network is poised to experience rapid international expansion throughout Canada, and is forecasted to reach over 300 units across North America in the next four years.

15. A member of the Canadian Franchise Association, Camp Bow Wow exhibited at the 2019 Franchise Canada Show at the Enercare Centre in Toronto from October 5-6. The industry-leading pet services brand offered pup lovers a fast-growing franchise opportunity in Canada that builds upon Camp Bow Wow’s immense success in the United States.

16. Touting a 12% increase year-over-year in system-wide gross revenue in 2018 and having hosted over four million dog visits in the past year, Camp Bow Wow will further grow its commitment to ensuring all dogs lead happy and healthy lives.

17. Julie Turner, president of Camp Bow Wow, said, “We’re thrilled to bring Camp Bow Wow to new territories across Canada, and partner with dog-loving entrepreneurs who share our passion for providing pet parents with a safe and fun environment for their furry family members. As the number one rated and most trusted pet care franchise, we’re excited to increase access in Canada to our diverse set of high-quality pet services, including day care, boarding, training, and more!”

Company History

18. Camp Bow Wow was founded in 2000 by Heidi Ganahl in Denver, Colorado. Ganahl had wanted to start her own doggy daycare for years after she did some research and couldn’t find anything beyond the traditional “kennel model.” She took her time conceptualizing a doggy daycare that was fun and friendly, but her dog Bion died in a tragic plane crash and her dreams took a backseat. By 2000, Ganahl was ready to try again and launched Camp Bow Wow, which was one of the first quality doggy daycare facilities in Colorado.

19. Ganahl’s doggy daycare was a success from the start and by 2003, she was ready to start franchising Camp Bow Wow. Within a few years, Camp Bow Wow opened its 100th location in 2010. After a few more years of growth, Camp Bow Wow was acquired by Veterinary Clinics of America (VCA, Inc.) in 2014. Today, Camp Bow Wow has grown into one of the largest doggy day care and overnight boarding franchises in North America.

Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500

20. Camp Bow Wow ranked No. 248 on Entrepreneur’s 2020 Franchise 500 list.

Section II – Estimated Costs

• Please click here for detailed estimates of Camp Bow Wow franchise costs, based on Item 7 of the company’s 2019 FDD.

Section III – Initial Franchise Fee, Royalty Fee, Marketing Fee, and Other Fees

• Please click here for detailed information on Camp Bow Wow’s initial franchise fee, royalty fee, marketing fee, and other fees, based on Items 5 and 6 of the company’s 2019 FDD.

Section IV – Number of Franchised and Company-Owned Outlets

Franchised

2016

• Outlets at the Start of the Year: 122
• Outlets at the End of the Year: 127
• Net Change: +5

2017

• Outlets at the Start of the Year: 127
• Outlets at the End of the Year: 136
• Net Change: +9

2018

• Outlets at the Start of the Year: 136
• Outlets at the End of the Year: 151
• Net Change: +15

Company-Owned

2016

• Outlets at the Start of the Year: 7
• Outlets at the End of the Year: 9
• Net Change: +2

2017

• Outlets at the Start of the Year: 9
• Outlets at the End of the Year: 9
• Net Change: 0

2018

• Outlets at the Start of the Year: 9
• Outlets at the End of the Year: 12
• Net Change: +3

Section V – Financial Performance Representations (Item 19, 2019 FDD) and Analysis

• Except for Part 3 below, the franchisor does not include information from franchisor-owned outlets in this Item 19.

• Unless otherwise stated below, all data for franchisee-owned Camp Bow Wow Franchises has been reported to the franchisor by the franchise owner of the Camp Bow Wow Franchise.

• The franchisor has not audited this information nor independently verified any of the information included in this Item 19. All data in this Item 19 is historical data.

• None of the tables in this Item 19 include information regarding the 17 new Franchised Camps that were open less than 12 months as of December 31, 2018, the 2 Franchised Camps that the franchisor reacquired during 2018, and the 1 Franchised Camp that was closed during the year (that Camp had been open more than 12 months but was not open for the full 12-month period as of December 31, 2018).

Part 1 – Annual Gross Revenue

• The tables below show the total annual gross revenue for Camp Services, Dog Training Services, and any other Approved Products and Services (“Gross Revenue,” for purposes of this Item 19) from January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2018 (the “Measurement Period”) for 133 of the 134 franchises that were open and operating for more than 12 months as of December 31, 2018 (“Revenue-Reporting Franchises”).

• Not all Revenue-Reporting Franchises offer the same set of services. Some provide only Camp Services, while some also provide Dog Training Services, retail, and/or in-home services.

• The length of time that these Revenue-Reporting Franchises have been operating varies widely, and time in operation materially affects the Gross Revenue of Camp Bow Wow Franchises. The oldest Camp Bow Wow Franchise has been operating continuously for 217 months as of December 31, 2018. The average time in operation for Revenue-Reporting Franchises is 98 months, and the median is 114 months.

• The Annual Gross Revenue tables are based on data that was reported to the franchisor by the franchise owner for 133 of the 134 Revenue-Reporting Franchises. One of the Revenue-Reporting Franchises did not submit their data to the franchisor as required, so data for that 1 Camp was pulled from the revenue information that respective franchise entered into Data Dawg.

All Revenue-Reporting Franchises