Tips For Starting A Dog Training Business
Learn about the requirements for starting your own dog training business!
What’s The Draw For Starting A Dog Training Business?
Whether you can’t get enough quality time with dogs, want to make a difference for the people and pets in your community, or are simply interested in exploring a flexible and lucrative business space, starting a dog training business may be a great path for you! Here’s what to expect as you begin your new journey.
Growing Industry
The widespread lockdown of 2020 brought with it a “puppy boom” that brought dogs into new households in staggering numbers. In fact, 70% of U.S. households now own a pet!
This trend has propped the pet product industry up to new heights. In 2020, the industry hit a record $103.6 billion in sales, and experts only predict that number to grow in the coming years.
Now that businesses are open and people are able to meet in person, countless families are embarking on the journey of training their new four-legged family members. That’s where Dog Training Elite comes in!
Strong Return On Investment
Starting a dog training business with Dog Training Elite requires a relatively low initial investment, partially because our services are home-based. No need to find and acquire a physical space for your new dog training opportunity! Plus, average gross revenues in 2020 were close to $845,982*.
*Numbers obtained from our 2022 FDDFlexibility
Because of our semi-absentee franchise model option, Dog Training Elite Franchise Owners enjoy flexibility in their schedules while running their business. Choosing this model means you get to create your schedule and can decide to keep another job, spend more time on projects that matter to you, or take more time for yourself and your family. The options are endless. You can even choose to open a second territory with Dog Training Elite — 80% of our Franchise Owners do!
Help Your Community
Quality dog training programs make communities better. They strengthen bonds between dogs and their families, and allow dogs to interact with their surroundings in positive ways. Plus, Dog Training Elite gives back to pets and veterans through our specialized nonprofit organization, the Malinois Foundation.
What Does It Take To Start A Great Dog Training Business?
Once you’ve decided this is the right path for you, it’s time to get started! In order to open your business smoothly, be sure to take care of the following steps first.
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Planning
First, map out what you want your business to look like. What specific services would you like to offer? Do you want to train puppies only? Service dogs? Reactive or anxious dogs? Decide on the core offer of your business and formulate a rough idea of your business model before taking any other steps. Clarity here will help you make other decisions further down the line.
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Licensing
Look into local and state guidelines in order to determine which licenses and permits will be required in order for you to start your business. In some areas, you may need to check with the clerk’s office of your town, city or county to find out which local licenses or regulations will apply to starting a dog training company. Starting with the crucial licensing step will set you up for a smooth start!
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Registering
In order to operate as a small business, you will need to obtain an EIN and register for all applicable state and federal taxes. You’ll need to gain clarity about the type of business structure that will best meet your needs, and apply for your EIN under that structure. Fortunately, the IRS website allows you to obtain an EIN for free.
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Insurance
Before you start your first training sessions, acquire business insurance. Working with pets means that unexpected situations can occur that are out of your control. In order to protect yourself, your business, your clients and the pets you work with, get liability insurance from a company that specializes in pet business insurance. That way, you can rest easy knowing you’re covered, and your clients’ trust in you will grow stronger.
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Marketing And Promotion
Once you’ve made a solid plan for your business and filled out all the necessary paperwork for licensing, registration, and insurance, it’s time to start thinking about how you’ll get the word out about your new dog business! All the planning in the world is meaningless if you don’t have a strategy for drawing customers in.
Think through both online and in-person opportunities for spreading the word about your business. Online, you’ll need to set up a website and establish your business pages on sites like Google My Business and Yelp. This way, you’ll be able to start collecting great reviews as soon as you serve your first happy customers! Many people also see success through social media pages and ads.
You can also get involved with the pet lovers in your community in person by attending or organizing events, reaching out to your local veterinary businesses and other pet-related service providers, and even volunteering.
Start Strong
Start Strong
Between the legal requirements, financial considerations and marketing questions, the process of starting a dog training business can seem overwhelming at first. Fortunately, when you become a Franchise Owner with Dog Training Elite, you don’t have to start from scratch. You’ll be drawing from 40 years of experience so that business plans, marketing strategies and initial concepts are all set for you to draw from. Enjoy specialized training, ongoing support and countless resources to help you start strong.