Start a Salty Paws Franchise in 2025

Franchise 500 Rank: N/R Not ranked last year

Initial investment: $72K - $256K

Units as of 2025: 20 100.0% over 3 years

Salty Paws is a dog ice cream shop headquartered in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. It prides itself on being “the first doggie ice cream shop in the country.” It was founded in 2018 by Suzanne Tretowicz and began franchising in 2019.

Customers may enjoy taking their furry friends for a treat near the beach, allowing them to relax in a restaurant that caters to dogs and humans alike.

Since beginning to franchise, it has opened several franchises throughout the United States. Salty Paws is looking to expand its reach even further.

Why You May Want To Start a Salty Paws Franchise

Pets are a part of the family, a fact that Salty Paws knows very well. That is why the company strives to make it so humans and dogs can coexist in a Salty Paws location. This pet-friendly franchise goes the extra mile to do so, including fun ice cream flavors for dogs.

A Salty Paws franchisee may not only be part of an incredible team, but they could also have the opportunity to create multiple streams of business with their Salty Paws location. A Salty Paws location may be able to add a grooming salon or a vet shop to their dog-friendly ice cream parlor.

Opening a Salty Paws franchise may be a great business choice if you love pets. A franchisee should have a personable nature and love to interact with pet owners and their pets. You do not need to have any previous qualifications, but a good business sense will come in handy.

What Might Make a Salty Paws Franchise a Good Choice?

Opening a Salty Paws franchise may offer a more predictable outcome than investing in a completely new brand that could struggle to thrive in an already crowded and competitive industry.

To be part of the Salty Paws team, you should make sure you're financially ready for an initial investment made up of a franchise fee and other startup costs. In addition, you should prepare yourself for ongoing fees that will include advertising, royalty, and potential renewal fees. Franchisees will also need to meet the company's set net worth and liquid capital requirements.

How To Open a Salty Paws Franchise

As you decide if opening a Salty Paws franchise is the right move for you, make sure you take time to explore the opportunity. Research the brand and your local area to see if this franchise would do well in your community. While competition is healthy, too much of it may not allow for the most possible growth.

Before making any financial commitment or signing an agreement, you must perform your due diligence and establish if this is the right opportunity for you. As part of your due diligence, you may want to speak to existing franchisees and ask the Salty Paws franchising team questions.

If you are awarded a Salty Paws franchisee, you will attend a multi-day training program to teach you how to operate your franchise. Once your location is established, you will complete further training to prepare you for opening day.

Company Overview

About Salty Paws

Industry	Pets
Related Categories	Miscellaneous Pet Businesses, Pet Care: Daycare/Boarding
Founded	2018
Parent Company	Salty Paws Franchise LLC/Salty Trucks LLC
Leadership	Suzanne Tretowicz, CEO
Corporate Address	43 Rehoboth Ave. Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971
Social	Facebook, Instagram, TikTok

Business Overview

Franchising Since	2019 (6 years)
# of employees at HQ	6
Where seeking	This company is offering new franchises in the following US states: Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Wyoming
# of Units	20 (as of 2025)

Information for Franchisees

Here's what you need to know if you're interested in opening a Salty Paws franchise.

Financial Requirements & Ongoing Fees

Here's what you can expect to spend to start the business and what ongoing fees the franchisor charges throughout the life of the business.

Initial Franchise Fee Definition: The initial fee paid to a franchisor to join their system What you need to know: Found in Item 5 of the FDD, this may be a flat fee, or may vary based on territory size, experience, or other factors.The franchise fee is an up-front (one-time) cost that a new franchisee pays to the franchisor. This fee is usually due at the signing of the franchise agreement and covers the right to use the franchisor's trademarks, name, and related business systems.	$35,000
Initial Investment Definition: The total amount necessary to begin operation of the franchise What you need to know: The initial investment includes the franchise fee, along with other startup expenses such as real estate, equipment, supplies, business licenses, and working capital. This is outlined in a chart in Item 7 of the FDD, showing a range of possible costs from low to high.	$72,250 - $255,570
Net Worth Requirement Definition: The minimum net worth you must have in order to qualify to become a franchisee of this company What you need to know: Net worth is the value of a person's assets minus liabilities. Assets include cash, stocks, retirement accounts, and real estate. Liabilities include items like mortgages, car payments, and credit card debt.	$100,000
Cash Requirement Definition: The minimum liquid capital you must have available in order to qualify to become a franchisee of this company.	$35,000
Royalty Fee Definition: A ongoing fee paid to the franchisor on a regular basis. What you need to know: Most franchisors require franchisees to pay an ongoing royalty fee, which is detailed in Item 6 of the FDD. This fee is typically a percentage of weekly or monthly gross sales, but may also be a flat weekly, monthly, or annual fee.	6%
Ad Royalty Fee Definition: An going fee paid to the franchisor on a regular basis to support advertising or marketing efforts. What you need to know: This may also be called advertising fee, marketing fee, brand fund fee, and more, but the basic purpose is the same-- to support promotion of the brand systemwide. As with the royalty fee, it is detailed in Item 6 of the FDD, and can be a percentage of weekly or monthly gross sales or a weekly, monthly, or annual fee.	2%
Term of Agreement Definition: The length of time your franchise agreement will last. What you need to know: Franchise terms are typically anywhere from 5 to 20 years in length, but are sometimes instead dependent on factors such as the term of your lease. Once your term is up, you may have the option to renew your agreement, typically for a smaller fee than the original franchise fee.	10 years
Is franchise term renewable?	Yes

Training & Support Offered

Franchisors offer initial training programs and a variety of ongoing support options to help franchisees run their businesses.

On-The-Job Training	18-24 hours
Classroom Training	16-24 hours
Ongoing Support	Newsletter Meetings & Conventions Toll-Free Line Grand Opening Online Support Security & Safety Procedures Lease Negotiation Field Operations Site Selection
Marketing Support	Co-op Advertising Ad Templates Regional Advertising Social Media SEO Website Development Email Marketing Loyalty Program/App

Operations

Additional details about running this franchise.

Is absentee ownership allowed?	Yes
Can this franchise be run from home/mobile unit? Definition: The business can be run from your home and/or a vehicle, and it is not necessary to have a retail facility, office space, or warehouse.	Yes
Can this franchise be run part time? Definition: This business can be run by the owner on a part-time basis (less than 40 hours per week) and/or as a side business; it is not necessary for the business to be open/run full-time.	Yes
# of employees required to run	2
Are exclusive territories available? Definition: An exclusive territory is a fixed area in which you are given the right to operate and in which no other units of the same franchise may be opened. What you need to know: Territory size may be based on factors such as radius, population size, zip codes, and more. Details can be found in Item 12 of the FDD.	Yes