Dog wellness franchise Scenthound to emerge in New Mexico as part of multi-state buildout

A dog wellness franchise is expanding its footprint, or pawprint, into Albuquerque.

Scenthound, a dog wellness franchise that offers monthly hygiene services for dogs, will emerge in New Mexico as a part of a multi-unit deal announced in late March.

The deal, which includes opening 11 locations across Arizona, Utah and New Mexico, will expand the brand in Utah while introducing it to New Mexico and Arizona for the first time.

Husband and wife duo Andres and Lisa Jaramillo are the local franchisees responsible for signing agreements to bring three of the 11 franchises to New Mexico.

The brand, founded in 2005, offers services like bathing, ear cleaning, nail trimming and teeth brushing. Scenthound has finalized plans for over 300 franchised and corporate-owned locations across 26 states, according to a news release.

The Jaramillos, who have backgrounds in graphic design and software development, heard about the brand while researching franchise opportunities after years of working for information technology companies and Sandia National Laboratories.

“We wanted to have something that is kind of ours,” Andres Jaramillo told the Journal. He added that they explored a plethora of other franchises before landing on Scenthound.

“We knew this was the one for us. The mission they have about taking care of pets and making them happy and extending their life just seemed like a really great fit for us,” he said.

Andres and Lisa Jaramillo immigrated to the United States from Venezuela and Russia, respectively, but have lived in Albuquerque for a few years and said they identify as proud “Burqueños.” The pair, pet parents to one Frenchie, think the business is going to bring a new holistic pet care option to the city they’ve grown to love.

“We’re thrilled to welcome these passionate and driven entrepreneurs into the Scenthound family,” said Tim Vogel, Scenthound’s CEO and co-founder, in a statement of the Utah, Arizona and New Mexico franchisees.

The Jaramillos, who paid a franchise fee of almost $50,000 per location, are currently in leasing negotiations for the first Scenthound location at Wyoming Mall in Albuquerque’s Northeast Heights. They are aiming to open the location between July and August of this year.

They plan to gear up one location at a time, opening the other two in 2026 and 2027. They also said opening locations in Santa Fe and Las Cruces could be down the road.

The two say they hope to represent the brand well and further its mission of making affordable hygiene services accessible to pet parents and their furry companions.

“Just like we care about our own health, like brushing teeth and going to the doctor, it’s very important for the dog,” Lisa Jaramillo said.