[bettyeanne]

WOW!!! Found this on a news thing that I read! Will wonders never cease?!

There are more than 2,000 franchise opportunities. But not all can be Mickey D's.
May 11, 2004: 12:57 PM EDT
By Les Christie, CNN/Money contributing writer

NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Something that works locally should work elsewhere too: Today, Peoria. Tomorrow, the world.

Man's best friend Colorado-based Bark Busters has as its mission to promote clear and open (preferably non-vocal) communication between man and dog using simple and effective training methods that reflect the canine psyche.

Basically, trainers come to your house and gently persuade Fido to put a sock in it.


Nice doggie. Bark Busters makes that lie come true. The company was christened Bark Busters in 1989 after Australian founder Sylvia Wilson solved a friend's dog barking. Most dog owners use screaming or punishment, but that, arugues Wilson, leaves the dog anxious and more likely to act badly.

Animal behaviorist and company treasurer Liam Crowe explains that the Bark Busters regimen capitalizes on dogs' eagerness to please; they respond better to rewards and praise than to pain and intimidation

In 2000, Wilson expanded into the United States, and Bark Busters now has 57 units.

A franchise costs $22,500, plus $15,000 for the four-week training course. Crowe says, nationwide, trainers charge an average of $404 per session of 2 to 21/2 hours. That's nothing to sniff at.

Another pet-centric, Australian-bred franchise business is Aussie Pet Mobile, which offers a pet grooming service a phone call away.

For a franchise fee of $32,500, plus the cost of a fully equipped mobile unit (total investment about $60,000), franchisees get training in grooming and an exclusive territory.

Director of franchise sales, David Louy, says his company's client base consists of middle class, two income families – people with no time. The mobile grooming center comes to them and Bowser gets his shampoo and pedicure done in a familiar, comforting surrounding. Treatment includes massage and aromatherapy.


Interquest Detection Canines: Hot on the scent says Louy, "The owners love it and the dogs love it." (That last claim cannot be substantiated.)

Another niche franchisor is Interquest Detection Canines, a provider of drug sniffing dogs to schools and workplaces. In addition to training, the $30,000 franchise fee buys ongoing expertise to help navigate the rocky legal landscape.

Interquest began franchising in 1999, according to spokesman Michael Ferdinand, and is already up to nearly 40 units.