Start A Dog Training Business - Business Ideas
Professional dog trainers can be an incredibly fulfilling profession, especially for dog lovers. You can choose to work as an independent dog trainer or work under a company as a part-time trainer. However, note that dog training takes more commitment for a part-time gig. To get started, you need some education to understand how dogs behave and train them in new tricks. You will find tons of online resources on dog training. Alternatively, you can work as an intern with local dog trainers to acquire the skills before setting up your dog training side hustle. The average hourly rate for dog trainers is just over $50/ hr.
Starting a dog training business requires a great deal of effort, dedication, and most importantly passion.
If you're interested in how to sell dog training, or selling dog training online, you can use this page as a guide for everything you'll need to know.
Want to learn more? You can check out our full guide on how to start a dog training business ➜
Key Stats
Startup Costs
| Min Startup Costs | Max Startup Costs | |
|---|---|---|
| Office Space Expenses | $0 | $7,000 |
| Employee & Freelancer Expenses | $151 | $352 |
| Website Costs | $223 | $7,215 |
| Business Formation Fees | $5,600 | $20,400 |
| Vehicle Expenses | $2 | $4 |
| Retail Business Expenses | $1,250 | $4,500 |
| Training & Education Expenses | $0 | $1,000 |
| Software Expenses | $162 | $3,094 |
| Advertising & Marketing Costs | $0 | $1,000 |
| Specific Industry Expenses | $0 | $300 |
| Total Startup Costs | $7,388 | $44,865 |
Successful Businesses
| Business | URL | Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Cesar's Way | cesarsway.com | #52,482 |
|
The Online Dog Trainer | theonlinedogtrainer.com | #101,820 |
|
Fitdog | fitdog.com | #139,761 |
|
Lion Country Supply | lcsupply.com | #274,258 |
|
CCPDT | ccpdt.org | #300,044 |
|
TrainPetDog | trainpetdog.com | #335,957 |
|
Cali K9® Dog Training | calik9.com | #369,696 |
|
SpiritDog Training | spiritdogtraining.com | #400,557 |
|
unknown | phoenixdogtraining.com | #422,678 |
|
Bark Busters | barkbusters.com | #439,240 |
|
The Dog Training Secret | thedogtrainingsecret.com | #441,164 |
Pros & Cons
| Pros | Description |
|---|---|
| Flexibility | You can put as much time into the business as you'd like. If you like the work and have some initial experience, you can start small and manage all aspects of the business on your own. |
| Ability to start your business from home | It's not necessary to have a physical storefront or office space to get your business started. You can do everything from the comfort of your own home, at least in the beginning! |
| Rewarding work | Starting a dog training business can be really rewarding work. After all, you are solving an immediate issue for your customer and you're working on something you truly care about. |
| No overhead costs | To get your dog training business started, there are no costs associated with overhead, storage, packaging, etc. This will save you a lot of time and money! |
| Meaningful business connections | You never know who you will meet as a dog training business. This could be the start of an incredible business opportunity! |
| Quick build time | The average time it takes to build your product is quick - typically around 7 months. This will allow you to bring your product to market faster. |
| Cons | Description |
|---|---|
| Crowded Space | Competition is high when it comes to your dog training business, so it's important that you spend a good amount of time analyzing the market and understanding where the demand lies. |
| Low margins | The gross margins for your dog training business are typically around 20%, which can make it more challenging to incur new expenses and maintain profitability. |
| Stressful work | This line of work can be stressful for both you and your clients. This type of transaction is a significant financial decision for your client, so expectations are very high for you. Although this career path can be very rewarding, it also comes with its challenges and stressful moments. |
| Time commitment | With starting a dog training business, all responsibilities and decisions are in your hands. Although this is not necessarily a negative thing, work life can take over at times. This can place a strain on friends and family and add to the pressure of launching a new business. |
| Work is not always glamorous | With starting a dog training business, you may need to get your hands a little dirty. Although it may seem glamorous from the outside to start this business, the work can require a lot of physical activity and repetition. |
| The job can be demanding | This is one of the major disadvantages starting a dog training business. It's important to understand that you may need to make yourself available on a 24/7 basis. |
Marketing Ideas
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1
Direct Sales
Direct sales strategy implies a direct contact between a seller and a consumer without the involvement of any third party. Direct selling is popular in sectors where sellers communicate with their clientele personally. The sales technique occurs at non-store locations which include at home, work, or online.
For direct selling to succeed, hire a few (or many) salespeople to support the sales conversion process. It's critical that you assign them specific roles and responsibilities to nurture the client and provide excellent support.
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2
Word of mouth
Word of mouth is when a consumers reflects their interest in a company’s product or service in their daily dialogues.
Therefore, word of mouth advertising is essentially a free advertising triggered by the customers experience.
According to Nielsen, 92% of people trust recommendations from friends and family.
Therefore, in today’s hyper-connected world, a single recommendation through a word of mouth can have a huge impact to your business.
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3
Social Media Advertising
Social media advertising is the use of social media platforms to connect with your audience with the objective to build your brand, increase sales, and drive website traffic.
According to Oberlo, approximately 48% of the global population use social media, and the number is ever-growing.
Therefore, social media allows brands access to cost-effective advertising by enabling them to interact with a large audience.
Hey! 👋 I'm Pat Walls, the founder of Starter Story.
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