Are You Ready To Start A Pet Obedience Training Business?

We’ve touched on this idea before; making sure you feel ready to take your love for pets and everything they do to the next level with a business you could start right at home, but one of the most popular pet businesses you could start is that of pet obedience training.

People are adopting pets every day of the week, and not all of them have the right idea about getting their beloved four-legged friend to do what they’re told, and that’s where you could step in.

Maybe you already run a couple of classes out of the local community center, or you borrow the church hall once a week – why not up your game a little more?

So if you’re a bit ambitious with your love for the canine and feline world, and you want to help all kinds of pets from all kinds of homes with all kinds of owners, this is your chance to dedicate your working life to the idea.

Feel free to read on for some ideas on how to get started.

Whilst Fido is taking a nap, make sure you hop on your laptop and do some research – your pet training business is only a few moments away!

Think About Your Experience

How many animals have you worked with in the past? How long have you had a passion for animals, how they behave, and what you can do to foster their behavior and happiness development?

Do you specialize with one species, or with one breed within that species? These are all questions you need to ask yourself before you put a business plan in motion.

Are you someone who prefers cats? Do you prefer dogs?

Maybe you specialize in smaller animals like rabbits and guinea pigs, and what people can do with a creature that isn’t typically trained in the way we know best?

Whatever experience you have, it’s very important you know what you’re capable of and what you aren’t quite up to manage yet.

After all, pets have all kinds of personalities and natural temperaments, and when you have 10 or more under your roof all at once, you need to be able to stay in control with a personalized plan for each creature put into your care.

Even when the owner stays with you, to make sure they’re learning your tricks to reinforce the discipline back at home, you’re still the authority figure.

Learn How to Manage in Your Spare Time

If you’re already taking a few pets under your wing, in an unofficial business that you’re trying to get to grips with, there’s a good chance you don’t have much free time on your hands to properly qualify yourself for running an obedience business.

But it’s your ultimate ambition, and you know you need to do a bit more work to finally reach those small business heights.

Thankfully, that’s where your spare time can step in, either in the early morning or late evening, when it’s just you and your own pet to take care of.

A management qualification would be great for an obedience training business, as you can often apply human schemes for management to pets as well, seeing as they can take after their owners more often than not!

And hey, there are all kinds of management courses available online, and you can even obtain a master’s degree in pinpointing problems and coming up with perfect solutions.

Why not research something like the Kettering University MBA if this kind of program sounds perfect for you?

What Licenses Do You Need?

If you’re wanting to run a pet training business, there’s a good chance you’re going to need a specialized type of license to make sure you’re operating legally.

After all, you’re going to have living beings under your care for a few hours a day, and you never want to take a chance or a risk with their health whilst you help to train them!

Perhaps equally as important, you will want to form some sort of business entity that separates your personal assets from business activities.

While many people first think of forming a corporation, the LLC is by far the most small business friendly and easy to set up.

You’re going to need some kind of basic liability insurance, to make sure any accidents or emergencies are never fully laid at your door.

You’re going to need to look into the local authority in your area before you apply for any kind of license, as there are a lot of different requirements across whatever country you live in.

This insurance would require you to adhere to safety standards to be valid, such as having an exit door plainly marked with an emergency door release sign located within the area.

You’re also probably going to have to pass some kind of inspection by a local officer, to make sure your operating area is never encroaching on someone else’s property, or if you keep a kennel as well, you’re going to need to be reinforced against any nearby roads or wide open spaces. 

But if you’re going to have a business that travels between people’s homes, to make sure you’re targeting a dog’s behavior within its natural environment, then you might not have to look into these same scales of costs as someone who wants to rent a physical space as a training area.

Have You Got a Network?

A final and quick point, but one that has a huge impact.

A network is going to be the most valuable thing for getting your training business off of the ground, seeing as there are a lot of people out there who can pass around a good word to get someone else to look into hiring you.

Pet owners often collect together on walks with their dogs or down at the dog park, and you can get to both cats and dogs by advertising within the nearby veterinary office – often using your local area and showing your face and credentials in a physical manner, is better for a business like this than simply taking your efforts online.

So, are You Ready to Start Your Obedience Business?

Starting a pet training business is going to take a lot of effort, seeing as you’ll be physically working with an animal and its owner on a long-term basis.

This is your chance to get yourself started properly, so be sure to use tips like these on your journey!