Jessica and Tim Vogel at the opening of Scenthound’s 100th unit.
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.
Dogs are everywhere, and pet care franchise Scenthound is looking to meet dog owners where they are.
“We’re really continuing to scale and open, bringing in more talent to support us on that scaling, and continue to refine our infrastructure and our processes,” CEO Tim Vogel said. “I’m proud that we’re also starting to make a bit of an impact in the grooming world, where dog parents are starting to think grooming is not just about haircuts.”
Scenthound passed 100 units, more than doubling its unit count since Franchise Times spoke to Vogel last year. Since he founded the brand over a decade ago, Vogel is pleased with how far the brand has come.
Scenthound offers dog grooming and other health-related services.
“I’m just filled with gratitude when I think about the positive impact we’re able to make on dogs’ lives,” he said. “It’s a pretty cool spot to be in, that I tell you we’re having a whole lot of fun here.”
In spring of 2023, Scenthound had roughly 40 units, and now the brand is opening at least one unit per week on average.
To open these stores, Scenthound developed training and operations to get franchisees ready as soon as possible. Since Scenthound is part grooming and part healthcare, the team built a digital map for franchisees to follow.
Scenthound uses an app to keep dog parents informed of their dog’s health and make appointments. The app creates a comprehensive schedule for employees for upcoming appointments and it keeps track of emails with customers and any customer notes. Franchisees can boost sales through the company’s product line, Houndswell, which includes grooming products and supplements.
With the pet care segment booming, finding franchise leads comes from proving Scenthound is the best brand. Several franchisees were employees or customers at Scenthound.
“We’ve learned a whole lot about what a good partner looks like, and we have that avatar pretty well defined,” said Vogel. “We give them the unvarnished truth about the ups and downs of the entrepreneurial journey and what that looks like.”
On average, about 10 percent of franchise applicants are rejected by Scenthound, Vogel said. Good franchisees love dogs, of course, on top of having similar values and the long-term goal of having a decade-long relationship with the brand.
Its strongest markets are in Florida and Texas, so the brand is using data from those demographics to plan its expansion. Scenthound is already in more than 20 states and actively forms partnerships with animal humane societies to impact its communities. Vogel estimates that the current trajectory will mean 130 units open by end of year.
Scenthound is more than just grooming. As a dog health brand, franchisees look to improve and lengthen a dog’s life.