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:
- Set your criteria: Choose one skill to focus on improving (marketing, pricing, systems, client experience, or something else).
- 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.
- Break it into short sessions: Even 20-30 minutes a few times a week adds up fast.
- Track your progress: Keep notes on what you’ve tried and what’s changing.
- 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.