dogbiz in the Press
Dog Trainers Go Virtual
June 2020
5 animal training business lessons
February 2020
The Business Side of Dog Training
July 2019
Are Dog Walking Apps Safe?
September 2018
Daily Dog Exercise Needs
January 2018
dog*biz Dog Walking Academy grads are recommended when choosing a qualified professional dog walker in this extensive blog post about how—and why— to get your dog plenty of exercise
Not Just a Dog Trainer
July 2016
dog*biz’ Veronica Boutelle shares some thoughts about human teaching skills and the critical role they play in successful dog training in this guest blog post for the Pet Professional Guild.
Measuring Success
March 2016
There are many ways to determine whether a business venture is successful, and they all depend on the honest and accurate perspective of the business owner.
The future of dog training: working with separation anxiety the high-tech way
March 2016
dog*biz’ Gina Phairas contributes some great quotes to this article focused on Malena DeMartini’s innovative approach to treating separation anxiety.
The nature of the dog business industry
September 2015
dog*biz’ Veronica Boutelle joined Pets Mean Business host Jamie Damato Migdal on Pet Life Radio for a fun, rambling podcast chat about the nature of our industry and the need for support for dog business owners.
How to hire a great dog walker, or become one
March 2014
WDJ makes the case for dog walkers and shares advice from dog*biz about how to find the best walkers, and what to do if you think a walking career might be right for you.
Tips for starting your animal health business
July 2013
Interested in starting a business in animal massage, acupressure, warm water therapy, aromatherapy, or other health services? This interview with dog*biz’ Veronica Boutelle is a good place to start.
Best times to book dog care
February 2013
dog*biz weighs in on the best times to book dog professionals in an interview for Care.com.
Five pet jobs for animal lovers
August 2011
Are you an animal lover looking for a recession-proof job? Then check out these five great gigs that put you working one-on-one with pets. Actually, one is more like one-on-number-two, but it sure pays well!
Staffing the salon
July 2013
Grooming salon owners must recognize when they need help to make their businesses more successful, and then take a careful, strategic approach to filling that need. The process of staffing a grooming salon can take many directions, depending upon the type, size and goals of the business.
Great Dog Jobs
January 2011
Dog Fancy magazine is available in stores and to subscribers. Purchase digital back issues here
Do you need extra cash or a whole new career? One of these jobs might be the answer. Cooking for canines, pet massage, pet sitting, and dog walking are just a few of the available ways to make a living with the dogs.
Five great pet jobs for animal lovers
July 2010
When it comes to spending habits, Americans lavish money on their pets, spending $45.5 billion in 2009, including $3.36 billion on pet services, according to the American Pet Products Association, in Greenwich, Conn. As a result, pet jobs for animal care and service workers are expected to outpace jobs in other sectors and grow by 21 percent from 2008 to 2018, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Pet products get the tech treatment
December 2009
Gadgets are not soft and cuddly, and there are no downloadable upgrades for slobbering mutts. But with enthusiasm for pets growing unabated, and technology digging ever deeper into our lives, the two seemingly unrelated worlds increasingly touch.
Gym gives dogs place to play
November 2009
Like many dog owners with 9-to-5’s, Jeanne and Dean Eriksen had a devil’s choice every evening: Who gets the exercise, human or beast? If they walked the dog, they didn’t get much of a workout. If they went to the gym, they had to slam the door on their pet.
Interview with Veronica Boutelle
August 2009
I started dog*biz after leaving my position as Director of Behavior & Training for the San Francisco SPCA. During my time there I noticed repeatedly that the local dog professionals—trainers, walkers, sitters, etc.—were struggling to make a real living working with dogs.
Degree in Dog
October 2007
In the category of schools that don’t require the GRE, there’s the Dog Walking Academy in Richmond, the only school in the world for aspiring professional dog walkers. The academy’s 20-hour course covers dog body language, pack management, and fight protocols, as well as client and dog screening, liability issues, and successful business practices.
dogbiz in Print
Ask dog*biz
2017-ongoing
In her regular ask-the-expert column in the Pet Professional Guild’s publication, Veronica answers dog pros’ pressing business questions, ranging from marketing to setting rates to building successful puppy programs to… just about anything dog business related.
The Business End of the Leash
2005–ongoing
Veronica’s regular column in the Association of Pet Dog Trainers’ publication.
Some recent topics:
The Business Side of Dog-Dog Aggression
Why Marketing Fails
Open Enrollment Curriculum
How To Train Clients
How to Choose Your Dog Walker
Jan/Feb 2010
Professional dog walking in the Bay Area has grown rapidly over the last ten years, and the collapse of the economy has sent a new flood of dog lovers into the field. Because walking is a young business, there is currently no regulating body and anybody who wants to go into the business can hang out a shingle.
Staff Training, Staff Reviews, and You Deserve Some Help
Jan/Feb 2010
The Pet Care Services Association’s Journal is available only to subscribers.
Job training is essential to the success of your business. The better trained your employees are, the smarter they work. Well-trained employees are more engaged and more likely to solve problems independently. Because they feel more valued, they are happier in their jobs, which in turn is reflected in their productivity.
Alternative Medicine for Canine Wellness
May 2009
Bay Area dogs are part of the family. We include them in family outings, take them on vacation (or make sure they have posh vacation spots of their own if we can’t), and spoon with them at night. Like human children, we make sure our dogs have the best possible educations. It’s not at all uncommon for parents of new dogs to spend hours comparing schools and instructors, and to pay trainers for private “tutoring.”
Ew, Marketing
September, 2009
Society of Veterinary Behavior Technicians’ publication is available only to subscribers.
Marketing is, to many of us, a slightly dirty word. It conjures up images of young, too-clever-by-half salesmen or cigar-puffing advertising executives. It involves that most undignified and unloved activity: Selling. A lot of small business owners swear that marketing doesn’t work—and it’s certainly true that traditional marketing has little to offer small business owners like dog professionals who operate in a niche market.
Making a Living With the Dogs
August 2008
Ever wish you could quit your day job and live life with the dogs? Perhaps you sit at your work desk dreaming of being a dog walker? Maybe you drift off during meetings, imagining yourself training canines? Or stare past customers, planning your own doggie daycare? In short, do you want to work with dogs full time, but can’t see how?
Paperwork
Spring 2008
Oh, if training the dogs was all there was to it! Already a complex and highly technical skill, training, for most dog professionals, is further complicated by having to run a business. But just as the right tools—a clicker, perhaps, or a well fit gentle leader, maybe a perfectly worn-in bait bag holding a yummy reinforcer—make training easier, the right tools in business make all the difference, too.
Is The Dog Biz Right For You?
Jan/Feb 2008
Some dream of it from childhood—working with dogs for a living. I remember gathering all my stuffed dogs onto a large blanket and pretending to go down a river on our “raft,” encountering all manner of adventures along the way. Or piling the plush pooches into my wagon and then walking down the street for the mail, stopping now and then for a quick training lesson.
If someone had asked me at 5 years of age what I wanted to be when I grew up, I’d have said I wanted to be an animal teacher. As it turned out, I became a teacher, but of humans. It wasn’t until I began to cast around for a second career that I stumbled into dog training.
Paperwork
Spring 2008
Oh, if training the dogs was all there was to it! Already a complex and highly technical skill, training, for most dog professionals, is further complicated by having to run a business. But just as the right tools—a clicker, perhaps, or a well fit gentle leader, maybe a perfectly worn-in bait bag holding a yummy reinforcer—make training easier, the right tools in business make all the difference, too.
Is The Dog Biz Right For You?
Jan/Feb 2008
Some dream of it from childhood—working with dogs for a living. I remember gathering all my stuffed dogs onto a large blanket and pretending to go down a river on our “raft,” encountering all manner of adventures along the way. Or piling the plush pooches into my wagon and then walking down the street for the mail, stopping now and then for a quick training lesson.
If someone had asked me at 5 years of age what I wanted to be when I grew up, I’d have said I wanted to be an animal teacher. As it turned out, I became a teacher, but of humans. It wasn’t until I began to cast around for a second career that I stumbled into dog training.
Interviews & Presentations
For comments and interviews or to book Gina Phairas or Veronica Boutelle to speak at your event, email [email protected]
Veronica Boutelle
MA Ed., CTC
Founder, Consultant Lead,
DWA Director
Gina Phairas
BSc Comms, CTC
dogbiz U Director