Couple Follows Friends in Opening a Dog Training Elite Franchise in Texas

Gray Hall, a Texas native and outdoorsman, has always enjoyed working with animals. Growing up in San Antonio, he went to Texas Christian University for Ranch Management and managed his family’s whitetail deer ranch. After meeting his wife, Denise, Gray knew he couldn’t do ranch work forever. As Gray and Denise grew their family, he went into oilfield sales and heavy machinery sales but grew disillusioned with the corporate world. The couple thought about their future, and a family friend introduced them to a brand that would change everything.

Dog Training Elite*, one of the country’s leading obedience and specialized training franchises, was introduced to the Halls and they immediately jumped at the opportunity. With his prior experience providing customer service, Gray was eager to start his own business and be able to become a leader in a company that truly helps people and gives back. Being able to work with animals and providing a service that benefits the community is what the Halls are most excited about.

They will be offering services across rural central Texas. The couple believes in the Dog Training Elite concept so much that they hope to expand throughout Texas and become the number-one brand for dog training services in the state.

1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us. What did you do before franchising, and how did you decide franchising made sense for you?

Background and motivation

Denise: I have a science background, in DNA forensics and genetic counseling. I’ve always felt drawn to help people understand complex scientific concepts. I still love science, but in our new business I see the opportunity to help people understand how to best communicate with their dogs. I’ve been a stay-at-home mom, working part time in oil & gas, for the past five years. Now I’m excited to build a business with Gray. We’ve built a great family (three kids, three dogs, one cat), and I’m excited to be successful in a business with him as well.

Gray: I started off working on our family's ranch south of San Antonio. My dad and I were working with and breeding whitetail deer. I liked working with animals a lot and being outside in the country, so I went to Texas Christian University for Ranch Management.

Although it’s a wonderful lifestyle, after having a family, I knew I couldn’t do ranching forever. I went into oilfield sales, but the oilfield doesn’t provide the job security I’m looking for. I went into heavy machinery sales but I just never found a job that felt like home.

Our friends own DTE on the east coast and introduced the brand to us. Working with dogs and helping our fellow Texans really spoke to me. Seeing how these dogs help folks is huge, and there is an unmet need for service dog training in rural central Texas.

The thought that we could be part of the solution in a part of Texas that we love so much is beyond exciting to us – it felt like a calling.

Denise: I had a very impersonal perception of franchising. I only knew the big-name brands, and I never gave it much thought before. Learning about DTE and becoming part of the pack has been eye-opening. There are a solid group of people that care about our success, and have been helpful and kind. We’re excited to be part of such a great group.

Gray: We’ve had a wonderful experience being welcomed to the pack. Basically, the people from corporate are eager to help us and are genuine. After meeting them, our perception of franchising grew and changed. We’re excited to have support and resources, and would recommend franchising to any new business owner.

Choosing the brand

Denise: We didn’t look into any other franchise because we knew friends within DTE that talked so highly about the brand. We’re really excited about helping folks train their dogs to have elite obedience, and training service dogs. The more we learned about DTE, the more excited we got about it.

Gray: I wouldn’t have known to reach out to DTE if it wasn’t for our friends in South Carolina that own a DTE location. After speaking with them, we felt so comfortable, and they couldn’t stress enough how it has changed their lives for the better. Having a glowing review about the brand meant a lot, and each step forward it just felt right for our family.

Business goals and growth

Denise: We would love to join with the other Texas franchisees and be the experts in the field of dog training for Texas. We want to concentrate on service dogs and autism support animals because it’s dear to our hearts. Our territories cover a huge geographical area - we’re to the east, west and north of Austin, and we’d love to eventually have a brick-and-mortar facility in each of those areas.

Gray: I’d like to keep growing the brand into other territories and have the ability to serve other towns in Texas, like the coast and west Texas. We believe in the brand so much that we want to continue expanding it. Eventually, we want to partner with all the DTE franchises in Texas and be known as the ultimate dog training service brand.

Denise: We believe that to whom much is given, much will be required. This wonderful opportunity came into our lives at the exact right time, and we are committed to working hard and changing lives. We really do care about our clients and making central Texas a better place.

Gray: This opportunity has given us the chance to be leaders and be able to help people in our community in the ways that we want, to without being constrained by the corporate world. We are so excited for the future of DTE.

Denise: Find another franchisee and talk to them, preferably someone new who still has the process fresh in their mind.

Gray: Utilize every resource available to you to learn about the specific franchise and what the first year or so is like. I loved watching the future franchisee Q&A video sessions that DTE provided, and learned a ton there.

With more than four decades of experience in dog training, Dog Training Elite is one of the country’s leading obedience and specialized training franchises. Offering a comprehensive suite of customizable training programs, Dog Training Elite works with dogs and owners to meet any and all training needs, including therapy dog training and advanced service dog training for PTSD support, psychiatric support, mobility support, autism support, diabetic alert training and an array of other services. In addition to the wide breadth of services offered, Dog Training Elite differentiates itself from competitors through a uniquely human-focused approach to dog training, which focuses on helping owners and their families learn to effectively and consistently support their dog’s training needs. To learn more about franchising with the Franchise 500 Dog Training Elite, visit