Long Island, NY - April 1, 2026 - DapperTails Mobile Pet Grooming today announced the transition of its Long Island operation to new owner Caroline Dean, marking a major milestone for the company’s flagship market and the business that helped shape the model now being franchised across multiple states.
This milestone reflects the speed and strength of the DapperTails franchise model, which has grown from a single company-operated market into a national footprint in under a year. While the initial 35 territories have been rapidly developed and largely awarded, the company continues expanding into new markets across the country, with territories custom-built alongside incoming franchise owners based on their target locations and zip codes.
With a geographic footprint of 18 territories supported by 13 mobile grooming vans, DapperTails of Long Island stands as the cornerstone of the brand’s national expansion. Originally founded in 2017 by Chris and Emily Elias as The Ruff Life, the Long Island operation served as the starting point for what would later become DapperTails. Built first as a local mobile grooming business and expanded through disciplined operations, team development and customer trust, the market became the foundation for the DapperTails system.
“This is more than a transition, it’s a defining moment for our brand,” said Chris Elias, Co-Founder and CEO of DapperTails. “Long Island is where this all started for us. What began as The Ruff Life grew into the foundation for DapperTails and helped us shape the model we franchise today. Caroline is the right leader to take this business into its next chapter.”
Caroline Dean steps into ownership as a powerhouse growth operator with a strong background in strategic development, relationship building and mission-driven leadership. As a Founding Managing Partner of GiveProsperly, she has spent over a decade stewarding funding and growth for nonprofit organizations, supporting nationally recognized institutions including The ALS Association, the Anti-Defamation League and New York Cares.
A resident of Long Island’s East End and a devoted dog owner, Dean is committed to building on the strong foundation already in place.
“I’m honored to step into this role and build on the incredible foundation that’s already in place,” said Dean. “DapperTails of Long Island is already an exceptional operation that means so much to the pet families it serves and I’m excited to build on that success, support the team behind it, and continue expanding and deepening our impact across the region.”
The Long Island operation has grown into one of the most significant mobile grooming footprints in the region, serving thousands of pet families through a recurring service model that prioritizes convenience, consistency and pet wellbeing. Its scale and performance have positioned it as a flagship market and a real-world proving ground for the systems, service standards and operational model behind the brand.
“This is what the model is designed to do,” said Emily Elias, Co-Founder and COO of DapperTails. “This market helped show us what was possible. It gave us the opportunity to refine how we operate, support teams and deliver a consistent experience. Watching it enter this next chapter is incredibly meaningful.”
In less than 10 months since launching its franchise model, DapperTails has sold 29 territories nationwide, with additional territories continuing to be developed alongside incoming franchise owners based on their target locations and zip codes, underscoring both the demand for the brand and the strength of its operating model.
With 41 vans operating across 35 territories nationwide, DapperTails continues to expand its national footprint through a model built for scalable growth and meaningful ownership. The Long Island operation alone represents 18 of those territories, highlighting both the scale of the market and the significance of this transition within the brand’s system.
As the brand continues to grow, DapperTails is positioning franchise ownership as a pathway to long-term business value and generational wealth, offering operators the opportunity to build, scale and transition meaningful assets within a rapidly expanding system.
About DapperTails Mobile Pet Grooming
DapperTails is a mobile pet grooming franchise built by groomers for groomer-owners, combining a people-first philosophy with a technology-enabled platform designed for scale. With 41 vans operating across 35 territories nationwide and rapid expansion since launching its franchise model in 2025, DapperTails is emerging as a leader in the mobile grooming industry through its recurring service model, proprietary Franchise Playbook App, and operational systems that support consistent, high-quality execution. The brand creates pathways for entrepreneurs to build, scale and transition meaningful businesses within a rapidly growing national platform.
Media Contact
Company Name: DapperTails Mobile Pet Grooming
Contact Person: Lia Head-Rigby - Chief Communications & Franchise Officer
Email: Send Email
City: Long Island
State: New York
Country: United States
Website: https://dappertailsfranchising.com
