Instinct Dog Behavior & Training Franchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
- Investment
- $143K – $889K
- Disclosed sales
- partial, no system average
- SBA charge-off
- Not SBA-matched
Data from FDD filing
Analysis by FranchiseVerdict Research · Methodology
Instinct Dog Behavior & Training is a pet services franchise offering dog training, behavior modification, and board-and-train programs. Franchisees run the centers, managing trainers, clients, and sessions.
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026
A Instinct Dog Behavior & Training franchise requires a total initial investment of $143K – $889K, including a $40K franchise fee and an ongoing 8.0% royalty[2]. The 2022 FDD on file does not yield a unit-revenue figure we can publish. FranchiseVerdict grade: C (Average), an editorial assessment, not investment advice. Run a live ROI scan →
Sources, dates and evidence
FDD issued: · Data extracted: · Last cited check: · Staleness risk: high - issued more than two years ago
Evidence: partial✓ Investment (Item 7)✓ Item 19 status✓ Units and owners (Item 20)✗ SBA loan coverage✓ Litigation (Item 3)✓ Financial statements (Item 21)✓ Franchisor identityhow this is scored5 of 5 headline figures on this page cite a page of the filing.
Overview
- Investment
- $143K – $889K
- 37th pct Pet Services
- Avg gross sales
- N/A
- Company-owned only
- Royalty
- 8.0%
- 69th pct Pet Services
- Units
- 7
- 34th pct Pet Services
- SBA charge-off
- N/A
Quick verdict · Pet Services · color = vs category peers
Green = favorable by >10% vs Pet Services median · No shading = within ±10% · Red = unfavorable by >10% · Source: FDD filings + SBA 7(a)
Data from public FDD filings and SBA records. Not financial advice. Methodology
Bottom line
- COSTTotal investment $143K – $889K including a $40K franchise fee, 8.0% ongoing royalty.
- RETURNSItem 19 discloses no average — it reports one affiliate-owned outlet and two individually named franchised outlets in non-overlapping years (printed p.40-41). The figure previously shown was the 2021 gross sales of the single affiliate-owned New York location.
- RISKVerdict C (Average), verdict score 44/100 (higher is better).
- GROWTHPositive: net +4 franchised outlets in the latest year (4 opened, 0 closed) (Item 20).
- DATAItem 19 reports outlet revenue, but not in a form that yields a per-outlet average we can compare across brands. Ask franchisees directly for full unit-level revenue.
Item 1 · who you're contracting with
The Franchisor
Corporate structure & franchisor financials
- Legal entity
- Instinct Dog Training Inc.
- CEO title
- Co-Chief Executive Officer & Cofounder
- Brian Burton / Sarah Fraser
- Incorporated in
- NY
- HQ
- 181 East 111th Street, New York, New York, 10029
- Auditor
- Barry Knepper
- Unaudited
- Franchisor revenue
- $274K
- vs $117K prior year
Overview
About
- CEO
- Brian Burton / Sarah Fraser
- Headquarters
- NY
- Founded
- 2017
- FDD year
- 2022
- States available
- 6
Can you afford it, and what does the money buy?
Entry cost runs 58% above the typical pet services franchise.
Source: FDD 2022 · Items 5–7
Full Item 7 breakdown20 line items
Initial investment breakdown
| Line item | Low | High | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Feenot refundable | $40K | $40K | |
| Travel and Living Expenses While Trainingnot refundable | $0 | $20K | |
| Rent - Three Monthsnot refundable | $9K | $45K | |
| Furniture, Fixtures and Equipmentnot refundable | $10K | $125K | |
| Office Equipmentnot refundable | $1K | $20K | |
| Architect/Design Feesnot refundable | $2K | $25K | |
| Leasehold Improvementsnot refundable | $10K | $250K | |
| Computer Systemnot refundable | $10K | $51K | |
| Permits and Licensesnot refundable | $250 | $500 | |
| Lease Security Deposits | $9K | $45K | |
| Utilities Deposits | $500 | $2K | |
| Professional Feesnot refundable | $2K | $3K | |
| Signagenot refundable | $500 | $10K | |
| Service Vehicle and Signagenot refundable | $500 | $2K | |
| Initial Inventorynot refundable | $500 | $3K | |
| Insurance - Annual Premiumnot refundable | $2K | $15K | |
| Grand Opening Marketingnot refundable | $18K | $25K | |
| Brand Development Fee - Three Monthsnot refundable | $8K | $8K | |
| Technology Fee - Three Monthsnot refundable | $390 | $390 | |
| Additional Funds - 12 monthsnot refundable | $20K | $200K | |
| Total initial investment | $143K | $889K |
Line items extracted from FDD Item 7. Ranges reflect the franchisor's stated low and high per line. Total is the sum of line-item lows / highs — actual costs may fall outside this range depending on market and build-out scope.
Item 7 · what it costs to open + operate
The Vitals
- Total investment
- $143K – $889K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Liquid capital req'd
- $20K – $200K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Franchise fee
- $40K – $40K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Royalty
- 8.0%
- Set by a formula · typical 6–8%
- Ad fund
- $2,500 per month flat fee (Brand Development Fee), not a …
- Total fee load
- 8.0%
- vs 9–13% typical
Ongoing fees · Item 6
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Royalty | 8.0% of gross sales |
| Technology fee | $130 |
| Transfer fee | $2K |
| Renewal fee | $3K |
| Inventory (initial) | $500 – $3K |
| Total fee load | 8.0% of rev |
What do units actually make?
Source: FDD 2022 · Item 19
ROI & LBO modelsSingle-unit · 25-unit portfolio · editable
No Item 19 revenue figure for Instinct Dog Behavior & Training is on file. The return models need a revenue figure to start from, and the operating costs that turn gross sales into a profit are in no FDD. Enter your own and the calculator runs on your assumptions — nothing here is modelled until you do.
Returns model · single-unit ROIC
What would one Instinct Dog Behavior & Training unit return on the cash you put in?
Illustrative category typicals — not sourced to any filing, survey or sample. Replace them with figures from franchisee validation calls before you rely on the output.
Unlevered ROIC · per unit
Your modelled return on total invested capital, before any debt financing.
—
An FDD discloses gross sales, not profit. We hold no sourced figure for annual revenue, ad fund rate, COGS, labour, rent / occupancy and other operating costs, and will not substitute an assumed one. Enter your own and the model runs on your assumptions.
These models are for research and scenario planning only. Not investment advice. Actual results depend on your specific location, management, and market conditions. Consult a franchise attorney and accountant before signing any franchise agreement.
Item 19 · Source: 2022 FDD
Financial Performance
Item 19 discloses no average — it reports one affiliate-owned outlet and two individually named franchised outlets in non-overlapping years (printed p.40-41). The figure previously shown was the 2021 gross sales of the single affiliate-owned New York location.
Company-owned outlets only - not franchisee performance
- Item 19 type
- Gross Sales by outlet (affiliate-owned and selected franchisee locations)
- Sample size
- 3 outlets
- vs category median 12 · small
- Range (low → high)
- $440K→$2.0MCited, not corroborated — printed on page 47 of the 2022 FDD. Nothing else in our record independently restates or re-derives it.
- Cohort dispersion (min → max)
- Reporting year
- 2021
- Fiscal year the figures cover
- Source filing
- FDD 2022
- Disclosed in the 2022 filing, covering 2021
- Transparency
- 3 / 10
- vs category median 4 / 10 · below
Compared against 69 Pet Services brands
Operator outlook
What the numbers say
Data-driven interpretation of this brand's financial disclosures, fee structure, and system trajectory.
Fee burden
Total ongoing fee load of 8.0% (near the Pet Services median).
Disclosure
Item 19 reports outlet revenue, but not in a form that yields a per-outlet average we can compare across brands.
Operator retention
Net unit growth of +500.0% over 3 years (4 opened, 0 closed).
Source: FDD Item 19 financial performance representations and publicly filed FDD data. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Verify all figures with the franchisor and current franchisees before making any investment decision.
vs Pet Services medians
How Instinct Dog Behavior & Training Compares
Category median of published Pet Services brands that report the figure; the middle half spans the 25th to 75th percentile and n counts the brands behind it. Medians are used because a few very large systems pull an average far from the typical brand. Revenue is disclosed gross sales, not profit.
Is the system healthy?
Source: FDD 2022 · Item 20
Unit growth
Item 20 · unit dynamics
The Growth Chart
- Total units
- 7
- Opened
- 4
- Last reporting year
- Closed
- 0
- Terminated
- 0
- Franchisor ended the franchise (per Item 20)
- Non-renewed
- 0
- Term expired, not renewed (per Item 20)
- Turnover rate
- N/A
- Company-owned
- 1
- Corporate units in the system
- % franchised
- 86%
- vs corporate-owned
Last fiscal year · Item 20 exits and transfers
- Terminated
- 0
- Not renewed
- 0
- Transferred
- 0
- Reacquired
- 0
- Franchisor bought back
- Signed, not yet open
- 0
- 0.00 per open outlet · Item 20 Table 5
- Projected new
- 5
- Franchisor's next-year forecast
- Continuity rate
- 100.0%
- Units that stayed open
Year-over-year franchised unit counts and net change. Source: FDD Item 20.
Item 12 · 6 states reported
The Territory Map
FDD Item 12 reports the state count, but the specific list isn't in our current data. The map will appear once we re-extract from the FDD or enough franchisee contacts are available.
6
states with franchisees (per FDD Item 12)
Where the owners are · Item 20 owner list
1 current owner across 1 state.
- CA 1
Counts only, from the list the franchisor prints in Item 20. Names and phone numbers are for your own due diligence and are not shown here.
Fast growth in a small system. Newer franchisors expanding quickly may not yet have the support infrastructure of larger systems.
SBA loan performance
Government records
SBA Loan Data
Aggregated from SBA 7(a) and 504 loan disclosures, public data unique to FranchiseVerdict.
No SBA loan data available for this brand.
What could kill this investment?
Source: SBA 7(a) FOIA · FDD Items 3, 21
Risk analysis
FranchiseVerdict rating + FDD Items 3, 4, 8, 16, 21
Risk & Legal
Very early-stage franchise system with explosive growth claims, opaque profitability data, and wide investment variance presents moderate-to-high risk despite protected territory and lack of litigation.
Litigation (Item 3)
Subject: officers or affiliates. The franchisor is not a named party in these cases.
No litigation required to be disclosed.
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
None disclosed
Audited financials (Item 21)
No audited financials on file
Franchisor revenue (Item 21)
Franchisor entity revenue (not unit-level)
Supplier relationship · Items 8 & 16
- Franchisor sells you products: No
- Kickbacks from required suppliers: No
- Must buy proprietary products: Yes
- Restricted to system-approved products: Yes
- Can negotiate own supplier terms: No
Score breakdown · what drove the 44 / 100 verdict
- 01MINORExtreme unit growth (200% YoY) suggests either aggressive expansion or inflated early-stage metrics; only 7 units total indicates very new/unproven system
- 02MINORWide investment range ($142K–$889K) suggests inconsistent unit economics or unclear cost structure; hard to model ROI
- 03MINOR8% royalty on gross sales (not net) is aggressive and reduces franchisee cushion during slow periods
- 04MINORService-based business model dependent on owner/operator time; scalability and absentee-owner viability unclear
- 05MINORNo 'going concern' statement suggests franchisor may have questioned operational sustainability
Severity inferred from the FDD text · not a regulatory classification
What are you signing up for?
Ongoing fees run about 8.0% of sales (royalty + ad fund), before rent and labor.
Source: FDD 2022 · Items 11, 12, 17
FDD Items 12, 15, 17 · continued from Risk & Legal
Contract & Territory Detail
| Initial term | 7 years |
|---|---|
| Renewal term | 7 years |
| Allowed renewalsℹ | 1 |
| Territory type | Protected territory |
| Protected territory | Yes |
| Exclusive territoryℹ | No |
| Territory population | 500,000 |
| Online sales rightsℹ | Restricted |
| Franchisor can compete | Yes |
| Hire a manager? | Not allowed |
| Owner-operator | Required |
| Non-compete (years)ℹ | 2 years |
| Non-compete (miles)ℹ | 50 mi |
| Right of first refusalℹ | Yes |
| Transfer requires consent | Yes |
| Termination notice | 30 days |
| Mandatory arbitration | Yes |
| Arbitration location | New York County, New York |
| Jury trial waiver | Yes |
| Governing law | NY |
| Litigation count | 0 |
View Item 3 litigation summary
No litigation required to be disclosed.
Items 10, 11
Training & Operations
- Classroom training
- 41 hrs
- On-the-job training
- 55 hrs
- Training location
- Corporate Office/Training Center in New York, NY, or remote (Phase 1); Corporate Office/Training Center (Phase 2)
- Ongoing training
- Required
- Field support
- 56 hrs/yr
- On-site visits per year
- Time to open
- 36 mo
- From signing to launch
- Site selection
- Franchisee proposes; franchisor approves
- Franchisor financing
- Offered
- Item 10
Items 5 & 11
Franchisor Support
Item 20 · call current owners
Franchisee Contacts
1 owners to call
Name · phone · city · state. Extracted from FDD Item 20
Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to open a Instinct Dog Behavior & Training franchise?
The total investment to open a Instinct Dog Behavior & Training franchise ranges from $143K – $889K, with an initial franchise fee of $40K. This includes real estate, equipment, inventory, and working capital as disclosed in their Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).
What do Instinct Dog Behavior & Training franchise owners earn?
Item 19 of the Instinct Dog Behavior & Training FDD discloses outlet figures from $440K to $2.0M but no single average across all outlets. These are gross sales figures, not profit; the Revenue section shows what the filing reports and on what basis. Item 20 of the FDD lists current and former franchisees; asking them directly is the standard way to fill this gap.
Who owns Instinct Dog Behavior & Training?
Instinct Dog Behavior & Training is franchised by Instinct Dog Training Inc.. Source: FDD Item 1, 2022 filing.
What is Item 19 in the Instinct Dog Behavior & Training FDD?
The FDD section where a franchisor may disclose financial performance of its outlets. Disclosure is optional and formats vary; figures are typically gross sales, which is revenue before expenses, not profit. FranchiseVerdict extracts these figures directly from the Instinct Dog Behavior & Training FDD and qualifies whose outlets they describe.
What is Instinct Dog Behavior & Training's franchise failure rate?
SBA 7(a) loan charge-off data is not available for Instinct Dog Behavior & Training (fewer than 10 loans on file). Charge-off rates are one way to gauge franchise risk, but not all franchise loans go through the SBA program. We recommend reviewing turnover and closure data in the FDD and speaking with current franchisees.
How many Instinct Dog Behavior & Training franchise locations are there?
As of their most recent FDD filing, Instinct Dog Behavior & Training has 7 total units in the United States, including 6 franchised units and 1 company-owned units. 4 new units were opened in the latest reporting year.
Is Instinct Dog Behavior & Training a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict rates Instinct Dog Behavior & Training as a C-grade franchise with a verdict score of 44 out of 100 (higher is better). The grade is a deterministic score built from six weighted dimensions — financial health, unit economics, unit growth, scale, legal, and transparency — then calibrated against SBA loan charge-off rates and FDD age. Transparency is one of the six, so a filing that discloses less scores lower on that dimension than one that discloses more. Our rating is based solely on publicly available FDD and government data; we recommend speaking with current franchisees before making any investment decision. This is not investment advice.
Data sourced from public FDD filings and SBA 7(a) FOIA records. Not financial advice.
For franchisors
Are you the franchisor?
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Data extracted from public FDD filings and SBA 7(a) loan disclosures (FOIA). This information is provided for research purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, or investment advice. Verify all figures with the franchisor's current Franchise Disclosure Document before making any investment decision.