Priority 1 Canine Shark Tank Update

Highlights

Wade and Lori Morrell pitched Priority 1 Canine, a personal security dog training service, on Shark Tank.
They emphasized the unique aspect of training dogs in a family environment, making them both pets and protectors.
Despite showcasing the effectiveness of their training, the Sharks were skeptical about scaling the business.

Overview

Category	Details
Name	Priority 1 Canine
Founder	Wade Morrell & Lori Morrell
Industry	Personal Security and Dog Training
Product	Security-trained dogs for family and professional use
Funding	Self-funded pre-Shark Tank
Investment Ask	$75,000
Equity Offered	20%
Valuation	$375,000

Former Marine Wade Morrell and his wife, Lori, pitch Priority 1 Canine, their personal security canine training service, in Shark Tank’s military-themed episode 608. The Morrells train dogs to be protectors of homes and as police and military security dogs. Their staff, which includes the two of them, has over 200 years of dog training experience. At Priority 1 Canine, their goal is to provide a loving family pet that has the added benefit of being a trained security dog.

The Priority 1 Canine team trains “police and military forces around the globe on effective canine deployment and application.” While they have the capabilities for training police dogs, the Morrells focus on family protection. While they are training a new dog, they treat it as a member of their own family. The dogs live in their home with their kids and other pets, not in kennels. They think it’s important for the dog to get trained in the environment in which they’ll live.

The end result is a dog from Priority 1 Canine will be a good family pet AND family protector. The Morrells won’t provide an unsuitable, untrained or untested dog to their clients. They believe in quality!

They’re likely looking to expand geographically and want a Shark’s help expanding their business’ paw print. Will the Sharks become dog-sharks?

Priority 1 Canine Shark Tank Recap

Lori enters the Tank with a Belgian Shepherd and she’s looking for $75K for 20% of the business. Wade then enters and the dog attacks him! Robert asks if the dog is friendly, Lori says she is.

They explain the business and the levels: level 1 costs $20K, level 2 costs $30K, level 3 costs $40K. Each level has a higher amount of training. They reveal they’ve trained and placed 11 dogs in a year.

Did Priority 1 Canine Get A Deal?

Kevin thinks scaling is difficult. Robert doesn’t think it’s “investable” because it’s just the two of them, he’s out. Kevin thinks the same thing, he’s out too. Mark doesn’t think it’s worth the time for the reward, he goes out. Lori likes them, but she’s out too. Daymond has Chihuahuas and he’s a product guy, so he’s out too.