Geese Chasers employs energetic border collies to remove geese from communities who’d rather not have them.
This article is part of “Where Are They Now?”—an ongoing series in which Franchise Times reporters Megan Glenn and Emilee Wentland catch up with emerging brands.
For 25 years, Bob Young’s Geese Chasers has been doing exactly that: chasing geese. The brand may be niche, but it’s on track for franchise growth following a partnership with brokerage firm FranNet.
“The future is bright and I’m excited about the relaunch,” said Young. “I’ve had very successful people that are just enthralled by the business. They love the business model, they love everything about it.”
Founded in 1999, Geese Chasers is a unique franchise. Franchisees deploy border collies to chase geese away from offices, golf courses, homes and communities that don’t want to be menaced by hissing birds.
In 2023, the brand reported unit volumes between $40,666 to $879,333 across a network of 12 territories. The initial investment ranges from $135,830 to $142,330, depending on the territory.
When Franchise Times last spoke to Geese Chasers, it was coming out of a growth pause amid the Covid-19 pandemic. Once the brand restarted franchise sales, it grew from 10 units to 14 before pausing again. Six franchisees signed agreements, with two ultimately not opening their territories, and Young wanted to focus on the success of existing owners before bringing in more new operators.
“I always say it’s a very short, short engagement for a very long, arduous marriage,” said Young.
During this pause, the team met with FranNet, which will start marketing Geese Chasers to prospective franchisees in new territories starting September 1. As for potential markets, the brand is careful to ensure conditions are suitable. For one, geese need to be commonplace. For another, the dogs need to be safe.
Franchisees need to acquire and train their own border collies.
Geese Chasers won’t expand further south than South Carolina, Young said. Because the birds are waterfowl, the dogs sometimes need to chase geese into the water. Southern states have alligators and venomous snakes that can pose a significant risk to the dogs, geese and franchisees, so those states are off limits.
“People don’t think of that,” said Young. “You might get eaten while you’re on the side of the lake with your dog swimming in the water after geese.”
Geese Chasers is entering markets including Chicago, as well as across the Northeast. Other states in the Midwest, where geese are plentiful, are options for future growth. Young is looking for franchisees who aren’t afraid to get out and market the brand on foot, through cold calling or attending local events.
Franchisees also need to be prepared to purchase and train their own border collies. Geese Chasers has a network of breeders and provides support to franchisees, but raising, caring for and training the dogs is handled by the owner. Luckily, border collies are herding dogs and have the intelligence and energy to keep up.
“We always say, if we can get the dogs to drive the cars, we’d be set,” said Young. “We just haven’t, you know, introduced into it yet.”