Veronica

Dog training isn’t a “clock in, clock out” kind of job. It’s a calling, a passion, and in a lot of ways, an identity. Very few of us stop being dog trainers at 5pm – we keep reading, listening, learning, and analyzing every ear flick at the dog park.

And there’s nothing wrong with that. Loving your work is a gift. But when the line between you and your business blurs too much, things can get complicated. Suddenly, every client’s progress feels personal. Every industry debate feels like a test. And downtime? About as rare as a week where you don’t touch your treat pouch.

The end of the year tends to be a natural pause point. It’s a chance to step back, take a breath, and check in with yourself. Not just as a trainer and business owner. But as a person first.

When your business feels like you

For a lot of us, becoming a trainer started with passion. Dogs became the hobby, the obsession, the dinner table conversation, the social circle. Over time, the work blends into the rest of life until there’s very little distinction between the two.

And for some trainers, that balance works just fine. You genuinely love living and breathing the dog world. Your weekends are dog sports, your holidays involve conferences, your friends are fellow trainers. If that lights you up, great!

But if you’re feeling stretched thin, disconnected, or like there’s no off-switch, it might be time to check where the edges are. Passion and vocation are powerful forces, but they can tip into all-consuming territory without you noticing.

The noise of the industry

There’s also a lot of noise out there right now.

Social media debates about methods. New studies and trends. Constant calls for more CPD. Competing advice on pricing, packaging, and marketing. If you spend too much time scrolling, it can feel like everyone else has it figured out but you, or that you’re somehow falling behind if you’re not doing all the things.

In reality, you don’t need to listen to every voice, read every thread, or join every conversation.

Your business is as unique as you are. What works for someone else’s clients, schedule, or personal bandwidth may not fit yours. Filtering the noise is an act of self-preservation, but it’s also a business strategy. When you spend less energy worrying about what everyone else is doing, you have more clarity to focus on your clients, your goals, and your wellbeing.

Your business ≠ your worth

One of the hardest parts of working in a vocation-driven field is remembering that your business is something you do, not who you are.

When you hold it too close, everything hits harder:

• A negative review can feel like an attack on your character
• A slow month can feel like failure
• A client choosing another trainer can feel personal
• A tough case can feel like it’s all on you to fix

This is why setting boundaries matters. They let you step back, see your business as its own entity, and make decisions without feeling tangled up in them. That might look like:

• Setting “office hours” for yourself (no checking client messages at 10pm).
• Taking one full day a week off from anything work-related (yes, including scrolling dog training debates).
• Choosing one or two trusted voices to follow instead of trying to keep up with every industry conversation.
• Reminding yourself before each session: This is about supporting the client and dog in front of me, not proving my worth as a trainer.

And there are other benefits, too:

• Protecting your energy: You can be fully present for your clients without running on empty.
• Enjoying your own dogs: You don’t have to analyze every interaction or turn every walk into a training session.
• Handling feedback with perspective: You can hear it, assess it, and decide what matters (without spiralling).

Human first, trainer second

If the line between work and life feels fuzzy, pause and ask yourself: Who are you outside of dogs?

What lights you up? What gives you a genuine break? What reminds you you’re more than your business?

For some trainers, it’s creative outlets: music, writing, photography. For others, it’s movement: yoga, hiking, kayaking. It might be spending time with people who don’t know or care what “counter-conditioning” means, getting lost in a book, gardening, cooking, dancing, travelling – anything that lets you inhabit a different part of yourself.

This isn’t about abandoning your passion. It’s about refuelling it. When you make space for rest and joy outside of your business, you return to it with more energy, more perspective, and, sometimes counterintuitively, more creativity.

An end-of-year reflection

December often gives us a natural pause, even if you’re still running classes or consults right up until the holidays. It’s a chance to ask:

• Are my business decisions aligned with my values?
• Does the way I work support the life I want, or am I shaping my life around my business?
• Am I making space for the human part of me, not just the trainer part?

Reflection isn’t about judging where you are; it’s about choosing where you want to go next. Sometimes small shifts (clearer boundaries, less time in online debates, more intentional breaks) create the biggest difference.

Your foundation for better balance

One of the biggest drains on trainers isn’t the dogs, it’s the business side: writing policies, updating forms, building curriculum, writing training plans, managing clients, keeping marketing consistent. When all of that piles up, it’s easy for the line between “trainer” and “business” to vanish completely.

That’s what THRIVE! Essentials is for. It’s a library of ready-to-use resources built specifically for R+ trainers: toolkits, templates, and step-by-step guides designed to take work off your plate. Instead of reinventing the wheel or burning weekend hours creating paperwork, you can lean on proven materials and get back to the parts of your job that actually light you up.

When the scaffolding is already in place, you have more freedom to set boundaries, more energy for your clients, and more space to be yourself outside of work.

You are more than your business. And with THRIVE! Essentials, your business can run more smoothly, leaving you with the breathing room you need to remember that.

 

  The 5-Step Blueprint for a Successful R+ Dog Training Business – $35 $19 (save 54%)

 

As R+ trainers, we’re committed to learning. We take courses on body language, attend workshops on reactivity, and sign up for webinars about the latest enrichment trends. Many of us could fill a bookshelf (or a hard drive) with the CPD we’ve done for our dog skills.

But when was the last time you invested in your business skills?

For a lot of trainers, the answer is somewhere between “not recently” and “never.” And that can be a problem – because your business needs training, too.

Why your business skills matter as much as your dog skills

You can be the most brilliant trainer in town, but if you struggle to market your services, manage your time, price correctly, or keep your admin under control, your business will always feel harder than it has to.

Strong business skills make everything smoother:

• Marketing brings in the right clients.
• Systems save you time and energy.
• Confident pricing and packaging let you make a living without burning out.

When your business runs well, you’re in a much better position to serve your clients and their dogs. You have more bandwidth for creative problem solving, more energy for your sessions, and more stability to weather the ups and downs.

The CPD imbalance

In our industry, investing in dog skills is almost automatic. You see a seminar from a trainer you admire and sign up without hesitation. But for business learning? That often gets pushed aside.

Why?

• It doesn’t feel urgent until something breaks.
• It can seem less exciting than a hands-on dog workshop.
• Learning about dogs is a passion, whereas learning about business can feel like homework (groan).
• We assume we can figure it out ourselves (and sometimes we do, but at a cost in time, energy, and trial-and-error).

The result can be trainers who’ve mastered teaching loose lead walking and separation anxiety, but are still marketing on the fly, overbooking themselves, or charging less than their work is worth.

How to identify the skills you need to work on

You don’t have to overhaul your business in one go. Start with a quick self-check:

• Marketing: Do you have a steady stream of the right clients (ones you truly enjoy), or are you relying on social media posting frenzies and last-minute bookings?
• Pricing: Are you confident in your rates and packages, or do you quietly hope clients won’t question your fees?
• Time management: Are you ending most days feeling accomplished, or exhausted and behind? Are you regular taking days off? Vacations?
• Client experience: Is your onboarding process smooth and professional, or are you reinventing the wheel each time?
• Systems: Are you keeping up with admin easily, or losing time to repetitive tasks and paper piles?

Pick one or two areas that would make the biggest difference to your work (and life!) right now – not just the ones you feel most comfortable with.

Making business learning more enjoyable

Business skills don’t have to be dry or intimidating. You can make them part of your routine in ways that feel manageable and even enjoyable (yes, really!):

• Pair learning with connection by joining a peer group or program where you can swap ideas, feel supported, and stay accountable (hello, THRIVE! Pro)
• Set small, specific goals. “Write my new service page by the end of the month” is more motivating than “Fix my marketing.”
• Break things into bite-sized sessions. An hour a week on your business adds up faster than you think.
• Celebrate progress, just like you would with a dog training plan – small wins matter.

This is one of the reasons trainers in THRIVE! make consistent progress – they work alongside peers, get real-world feedback, and break big goals into manageable steps.

Where to go to build your business skills (and how to choose wisely)

There’s no shortage of options for business learning. The tricky bit is knowing which ones will actually help you – and which might waste your time or money.

Start by getting clear on your goal. Are you trying to fill your client calendar? Streamline your systems? Package your services so they’re easier to sell? The more specific you are, the easier it will be to find the right match.

Green flags to look for:

• Content or coaching that directly matches your current priority.
• Clear, practical steps rather than vague “inspiration.”
• Opportunities to apply what you learn to your own business straight away.
• Support or accountability to help you follow through.

Red flags to watch out for:

• Overpromises (“Double your income in a week!”).
• One-size-fits-all solutions that don’t acknowledge the realities of a service-based, people-and-dogs business.
• Heavy jargon without clear explanations.
• More time spent “hyping” than teaching.

It can also be worth looking outside the dog industry. Marketing, productivity, and customer service principles often translate beautifully. You might find fresh ideas in small business conferences, creative entrepreneur workshops, or books written for completely different fields.

At the same time, dog industry-specific learning has unique value. Business programs and peer groups designed for R+ trainers understand your ethical framework, your client challenges, and the reality of working with both dogs and people. Many trainers mix the two – tapping into the breadth of ideas from outside while still grounding themselves in dog-world relevance.

When you train your business, things change

Once you start deliberately working on your business skills, you notice the difference. You stop dreading the admin because you’ve put systems in place. Your prices reflect your value. You have a steady flow of clients who are a good match. And your days feel more sustainable.

It’s not about “turning into” a businessperson instead of a trainer. It’s about making your business the well-trained partner you need it to be so you can keep doing the work you love.

Ready to start training your business?

Here’s a different kind of training plan to try this month:

1. Set your criteria: Choose one skill to focus on improving (marketing, pricing, systems, client experience, or something else).
2. Pick your reinforcers: Decide how you’ll reward yourself for making progress, whether it’s a favourite coffee spot, an afternoon off, or finally allowing yourself to buy that unnecessarily expensive dog mug you’ve been eyeing.
3. Break it into short sessions: Even 20-30 minutes a few times a week adds up fast.
4. Track your progress: Keep notes on what you’ve tried and what’s changing.
5. Generalize your skills: Once you’ve nailed it in one area, apply what you’ve learned to another part of your business.

Treat your business like you would a dog you’re training: be clear, be consistent, and make the process enjoyable. The results will speak for themselves.

If you’d like a single place to keep building your business skills alongside your dog skills, THRIVE! offers ongoing, practical learning and support for R+ trainers.

Community can be easy to dismiss as something nice, but not essential, especially when you’re running a small business. But for R+ dog trainers – managing dogs, people, admin, and the occasional social media firefight – the right community isn’t just nice. It’s fuel.

There are two types of community we often talk about at dogbiz:

1. The communities you belong to as a dog pro.
2. The communities you create for your clients.

One keeps you going. The other keeps your business and your clients moving forward. Get both right, and the ripple effect benefits everyone (including the dogs).

The power of professional community

Do you operate your dog training business in isolation? Some of us chose this profession for the dogs and would happily skip the people part (except, you know, they’re attached). Others are in busy areas but still feel like they’re “the only one doing it this way.” And many of us simply put community time at the bottom of the list, because who has time between consults, training plans, and prepping all those treats for puppy classes?

But when you’re part of a strong professional community, you learn faster, avoid more mistakes, and carry a lighter load. You’ve got somewhere to take the tricky questions without losing half your day to search engines and chatbots. You hear how others solved the same problem you’re facing. And you have people to talk to on the days you wonder why you chose this work at all.

Strong communities have a few things in common: a clear purpose bigger than any one member, safety to be honest about wins and losses, and enough structure that you know how to take part without feeling you have to be “on” all the time. They also have stewardship – someone (or a small team) making sure the purpose stays intact, the tone stays welcoming, and the culture doesn’t slide into silence or snark.

Common community myths

Myth 1: Community just happens.
It doesn’t. Without deliberate tending and management, a new group is like a puppy left alone with a couch. It either unravels or ends up with bits missing.

Myth 2: You need a big group for it to matter.
Some of the best communities are small and tightly knit. Ten engaged members can do more for your business (and your sanity) than 200 who never speak.

Myth 3: Someone else will get the ball rolling.
If everyone is waiting, nothing happens. Post something. Ask something. Invite someone in.

Myth 4: It’s a vending machine for help.
Community isn’t push-button support. You can’t only appear when you need something and expect it to thrive.

It’s all about give-and-take

Contribution doesn’t have to mean constant posting, running events, or being the loudest voice in the (real or online) room. It might be sharing a useful resource, commenting to cheer someone on, or posting the early version of your new logo design (even if you’re still deciding between five shades of green). The point is to leave the space a little stronger than you found it.

And yes, there will be weeks when you’re more in the background than the foreground. That’s okay – the balance tips back over time. The important thing is that you’re present often enough that people remember you’re part of the fabric.

What you’ll notice when it’s working

For professional communities, you might see:

• Members jumping in to help before the organiser even sees the post.
• A steady trickle of fresh ideas to test out in your own business.
• Encouragement to try something you’ve been putting off, and accountability to follow through.
  

For client communities, you might see:

• Alumni welcoming newcomers without being asked.
• Clients swapping tips that echo your training advice.
• People re-booking together because they enjoyed the last class as a group.

These moments are the signs that your community has taken on a life of its own – and that’s when the magic happens.

What community looks like in THRIVE!

Inside our group coaching program THRIVE!, community is baked into the way members learn and grow together. Implementation teams keep small groups connected and accountable, so good ideas don’t get lost. Office Hours give trainers a place to bring tricky questions and work through challenges. The Hive buzzes with resource swaps, templates, and “has anyone tried this?” threads that save hours of trial and error.

It’s not just about support, either. Being surrounded by peers who are working toward their goals, sharing ideas, and celebrating each other’s wins has a contagious effect. You leave conversations not just with answers, but with the motivation to act on them.

In their own words:

“The coaching and peer support are invaluable. Do I need reassurance or confirmation? The group has me. Do I have technical questions? THRIVE! has got me too! I may be independent in a number of ways, but THRIVE! leaves me feeling supported when and how I need it.” – Jeri

“Joining this community is probably the best decision I’ve ever made! I have never come across big egos, judgment, or felt turned off by anything. Working alone in this industry can be so isolating and emotionally draining but knowing I have this kind of support and the consistent opportunity to ask for help, to vent and to continue learning how to run a business, combined with taking care of myself, just makes me want to cry with relief!” – Jessica

“I truly love the THRIVE! Team! And because you all are top notch and wonderful you attract good people. The Hive is a group of helpful, caring and giving souls. I feel like I’m part of something!” – Eleanor

I love the sense of community and being able to share ideas and support others in the same industry. I’ve been doing this for a very long time and always longed for a community like this. I find it to be an invaluable tool and resource of great people, whether it’s the coaches or fellow THRIVE! members. I know there is always someone if I need help or information.” – Rick

Creating the same value for your clients

The benefits we get from professional communities are exactly what our clients (and their dogs) can gain from the spaces we create for them. We’ve all heard “It takes a village to raise a child.” The same is true for raising a well-adjusted dog.

A client community can keep people practicing between sessions, normalise the setbacks, and make it easier to celebrate progress. It also keeps your business on their radar long after their original class or package ends, helping with retention and recurring income. Best of all, it gives you the chance to keep working long term with the clients who are the best fit for you.

What this looks like will depend on you, your clients, and the needs of the dogs you serve. Ideas include:

• Private online groups focused on specific, often isolating challenges such as reactivity or separation anxiety, giving people a safe space to connect with others who truly understand.
• Relaxed social walks or classes where the emphasis is on shared experience rather than perfect performance.
• Linking clients for well-matched dog playdates or even dog-sitting exchanges between trusted members.
• Partnerships with local businesses – recommending trusted groomers, vets, dog-friendly cafés, or other services that make life easier for your clients.
• Quarterly “dog life” networking nights that bring together clients and local pet-related pros in a social setting.
• Alumni meet-ups, skills refreshers, or seasonal challenges to keep clients engaged after their formal training ends.
• Small group field trips to markets, trails, or public spaces where clients can practise real-life skills with your support.

The key is to set the tone early. Make it clear these spaces and experiences are for support, not judgment, and show what that looks like in practice. Welcome new members personally. Ask questions and listen more than you talk. Step in quickly if conversations veer toward criticism so people feel safe to share. Keep participation easy by offering different ways to join in – varied meeting times, captions on videos, and low-pressure options for those who prefer to quietly observe until they’re ready to speak up.

Quick start ideas for this month

If you’re feeling inspired to strengthen your community connections, here are two easy ways to start:

• As a member: Pick one professional community you’re part of. Make one small, visible contribution this week – comment, share, or ask a question.
• As a host: Choose one light-touch way to connect your clients outside of lessons (for example, a coffee-and-walk meetup). Pilot it for a month.

You don’t have to overhaul your calendar or build a giant platform. Community grows from repeated, human-sized acts – showing up, helping out, and inviting others to do the same.

As trainers, we can choose to belong to spaces that feed our own learning and resilience, and we can create spaces that offer our clients the same.

Do both, and you’ll make your work more sustainable, your business stronger, and your impact on dogs and their people even greater.

If this has you thinking about the role community could play in your business, THRIVE! is one of our favourite places to see it in action. Come be part of it.

Ever start a class with a full roster, only to finish with half the students? Or wonder why clients aren’t lining up for the next level—despite great reviews, fair prices, a stellar reputation, and plenty of scheduling options?

The real culprit

Nine times out of ten, it’s your curriculum that needs a makeover. Awesome classes focus on teaching humans to make smart choices, not turning dogs into classroom superstars. Getting hung up on whether every dog can nail a five-minute “down stay” by graduation day misses the whole point—unless your clients’ dogs live in your training room.

What really hooks clients and keeps them coming back is seeing positive changes in their daily lives with their dogs. No matter how much fun they’ve had, how much they love working with you, or how brilliantly their dog performed in class—if they don’t see meaningful improvements at home, they’ll wave goodbye forever.

What we all want—for happy clients AND thriving businesses—is for learning to show up where it matters: in real life. Clients need to develop their “dog decision-making muscles” so they can handle whatever curveballs their pup (or the environment!) throws their way.

Beyond classroom perfection

When your curriculum fixates on metrics like that perfect five-minute “down stay,” guess what clients get? A dog who can do exactly that…in your classroom. But when clients learn what makes their unique dog tick (or freak out), and how to read situations like a pro, they develop superpowers that work everywhere.

Real world scenarios

Imagine your client Sarah wants to work on her laptop at a dog-friendly coffee shop with her pup, Baxter. A client with good decision-making skills would:

1. Scope out the scene first (like a canine secret agent)
2. Decide if this particular coffee shop is Baxter-appropriate or a disaster waiting to happen
3. Pick the perfect spot (probably not next to the squeaky door with high foot traffic)
4. Set realistic expectations (maybe a relaxed “chill at my feet” rather than “statue-still formal down”)
5. Have treats ready at just the right intervals (not too many, not too few—just call her Goldilocks)
6. Have backup plans for when the toddler inevitably toddles over (“Exit strategy activated!”)
7. Know when to call it quits before Baxter reaches his limit 

Sarah isn’t trying to jam a square peg into a round hole by demanding perfection—she’s setting Baxter up for success by reading the room, literally. She’s learned to work with what she’s got while gently expanding Baxter’s comfort zone, one latte at a time.

The magic of curriculum design

To nurture these crucial skills, your curriculum needs to be built on these two bedrock principles:

1. Keep it real-world relevant

Don’t teach “sit” just because it’s on page one of every dog training book ever written. Connect every exercise to real-life situations your clients actually care about. Modern dog parents want skills that solve actual problems, not party tricks (unless party tricks are specifically what they’re after—in which case, party on!).

2. Decision-making is the superpower

If clients can’t apply what they learn when their dog goes bonkers during a Zoom call or spots a squirrel during a backyard BBQ, the class hasn’t done its job. And from a business perspective, that translates to empty class slots and more work to fill them.

Upskilling your human learners

While we could write a book on teaching methods, here are two game-changing approaches:

The “training wheels” approach

Just like we might fade out a food lure with dogs, we need to fade out our coaching guidance, too. Start by being super clear with instructions and demonstrations. As your students get the hang of things, create opportunities for them to flex their own training muscles in new situations.

For example, after they’ve mastered “sit” with a clicker, ask them how they might tackle “down” using the same concept. Or after explaining the value of capturing behaviour, don’t list every possible scenario—instead, challenge them: “What are three ways you could use this at home tonight?”

As classes progress, throw increasingly real-world challenges their way: navigating a mock pet store (or a real one if you want to go big!), handling doorbell chaos with a recorded bell, or maintaining focus while you mop the training room floor. By graduation, they should be making solid decisions without you whispering in their ear—you’ve successfully faded the human lure!

One-size-fits-NONE lessons

One of the biggest challenges for trainers is handling the different skill levels in class. You know the drill—some dogs are practically ready to compete in Rally-O trials while others are still working on making eye contact for more than a millisecond.

Rather than teaching to the middle (and boring the advanced students while overwhelming the beginners), design activities where everyone defines their own success.

Instead of demanding all dogs perform identical hand targets, create an interesting distraction scenario (maybe a helper dog, bouncing ball, or a skateboard) and ask students to decide where in the room to practice based on their dog’s current abilities. Some might retreat to a quiet corner, while others brave the front lines.

At first, offer coaching on these decisions: “Max seems fascinated by that skateboard—what could you do to help him succeed?” Gradually reduce your guidance as they develop their “dog-reading” skills.

This approach lets everyone win because success is individually defined. Working at the right level means dogs succeed more often, get more treats, and learn faster—creating a positive upward spiral that builds both dog skills and human confidence.

Not just a dog tricks checklist

While we love saying “dog training is really about training the humans,” few classes truly walk that talk. Too many curriculums are glorified behavior checklists, keeping the spotlight on the dog’s performance instead of human skill development.

A curriculum focused on human learning is designed to develop real-life problem-solving and decision-making skills. Today’s dog parents don’t just want a dog who can perform on cue; they want a companion who fits seamlessly into their lifestyle—whether that’s a dog who can chill during video calls or be a well-behaved brunch buddy.

We often judge our classes by how much fun everyone had or whether the dogs mastered specific behaviors. But the real question is: Did we make people’s everyday lives with their dogs noticeably better? Because that’s what brings them back for more. And that’s a win for everyone—clients, dogs, and your business bank account.

Bonus tips for filling those next step classes:

1. Plant seeds early: Don’t wait until the final moment to mention next steps. Drop hints about awesome follow-up classes during the course, then follow up with personalized emails that say “Based on how Bella loves learning new tricks, I think our ‘Show-Off Skills’ class would be perfect for you both!”
2. Make them an offer they can’t refuse: Give a small but mighty discount (10% or $15) for signing up before the current class wraps. Create a bit of friendly FOMO with early-bird pricing that makes them feel special.
3. Show, don’t just tell: Share quick before-and-after videos or success stories from students who continued their training journey. Seeing Reactive Rosco transform into a calm walking buddy is way more powerful than any sales pitch.
4. Sell the lifestyle, not just the class: Don’t bore them with a lesson-by-lesson breakdown—paint a picture of how much better life will be! Will the next class help them finally enjoy hiking together? Create peaceful evenings at home? Give them a fun weekly activity that costs less than dinner and a movie (and involves way less debate about what to watch)?
5. Create a roadmap: Design a colorful “training journey” visual that shows how classes build on each other, helping clients see training as an ongoing adventure rather than a one-and-done deal. Who doesn’t love seeing what exciting destinations lie ahead?

Curriculum isn’t just about what you teach—it’s about transforming dog-human relationships in ways that matter. When you shift from “My clients’ dogs need to perform these behaviors” to “My clients need to make smart decisions in real life,” everything changes. Your classes become more engaging, your clients become more successful, and those once-empty sequel classes? They’ll be waitlisted before you know it. So grab your curriculum, look at it with fresh eyes, and ask yourself: “Am I teaching behaviors, or am I building confident decision-makers?”

Want some help with your curriculum? Check out these resources:

Learn how to make yours The Best Classes in Town with this dogbiz University course.

Jump start your classes with a dogbiz curriculum package:

• Puppy Curriculum

• Basic Manners Curriculum