Woof Gang Bakery & Grooming has grown into one of the largest pet grooming brands in the U.S., delivering more than one million grooms annually. On this episode of Franchise Trends, CEO Ricardo Azevedo says the company’s growth is fueled by a combination of franchise expertise, service consistency, and owner involvement.
Founded in 2007 as a dog bakery, Woof Gang began offering grooming services in 2013. Today, the fully franchised system operates 300 stores across the U.S. and Canada, with plans to double that number over the next three to four years. Azevedo, who took over as CEO in 2022, has overseen that rapid expansion while maintaining a focus on quality, culture, and local ownership.
The U.S. pet grooming market remains highly fragmented, with more than 22,000 independent salons, yet Woof Gang holds just about 1% of the market. Azevedo said that it presents a substantial opportunity for growth. Grooming, he added, is a loyal and frequent service, with customers typically returning five or more times per year and spending $100 or more per visit on high-quality services.
Woof Gang’s franchise model emphasizes hands-on ownership, training, and operational support. Owners do not need grooming experience; the focus is on managing the business, hiring and training staff, and providing exceptional customer service. The company’s training program, known as the “Woof Gang Way,” ensures consistency across locations, covering everything from grooming standards to check-in, checkout, and customer interaction.
“The beauty of the business is being able to create that through the franchise system, having the ownership, having the owner in the store every day, knowing the community, and at the same time, as a brand, providing the quality, the standards, the marketing materials, the webpage, the online visits, the safety protocols, and all that.”
“Most successful owners don’t groom dogs themselves,” Azevedo said. He alludes to the fact that what most people misunderstand is customer service, how to run the business, how to manage the process, how to hire, how to identify the good ones, and how to identify the bad ones. And that’s what we teach for them.
Financially, opening a Woof Gang store requires an initial investment of roughly $350,000, including build-out and first-year operating capital, with a target franchisee net worth of $350,000 to $400,000 or higher. Break-even typically occurs within three to twelve months, aided by a smaller 1,500-square-foot footprint and commission-based model that keeps overhead manageable.
Azevedo highlighted the brand’s boutique-style grooming, complemented by a retail offering of Woof Gang-branded products. This combination builds community loyalty and predictable recurring revenue, with many franchisees themselves starting as loyal customers who later convert to business ownership.
Looking ahead, Azevedo anticipates nearly 600 stores in operation within five years. Franchise owners are encouraged to grow carefully, prioritizing quality and customer experience over rapid multi-store expansion. The company also supports side-hustle ownership for entrepreneurs willing to invest time and trust in capable management teams.
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