How to Make a Career Change With a Dog Training Franchise

Lily Sweeney, writer

Published at 19/12/2021, Updated on 04/05/2022 , Reading time: 5 min

How to Make a Career Change With a Dog Training Franchise — Photo © How-to-Make-a-Career-Change-With-a-Dog-Training-Franchise.jpg

Got the itch to change up your career, but not sure which road to take next? It’s a daunting prospect, but if you consider making a career change with a dog training franchise, you’ll find business booming and a barking mad variety of opportunities to choose from. Read this article for tips on how to make the transition as easy as possible.

If you’ve been scratching your head over a career change that will be both fun and profitable, dog training might just be for you. Much like dog walking, dog sitting, or just about any dog-related business venture you’d care to name, make for a franchising opportunity that actually makes work enjoyable, placing you with Britain’s favourite four-legged friend.

Why make a career change with a dog training franchise?

Pet care is an important sector, especially in the UK. According to Statisita, around 59% of British households own a pet, and the most popular type of pet is the beloved dog. Dog-owners take great pride and responsibility over their much-loved canine pals, including when it comes to getting them trained.

Although most people will get their dog trained on account of wanting them to be obedient, it’s not just about that. Films, television programmes and – most particularly – social media have spread to the masses the joy that can be found from both pet and owner by teaching your dog fun tricks and games. So, there’s really no better time to be looking into franchising opportunities in the dog training sector.

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How to make a career change with a dog training franchise

Once you’ve done some reading up on the specifics of exactly how to become a dog trainer, you’ll also want to follow the tried and true steps taken by all franchisees as they make their way into the wonderful world of franchising.

1. Assess your skills and qualifications

The first bit of good news is that most franchise opportunities in the dog training sector will not require you to have previous experience in the industry – they’ll train you, and you’ll train dogs! To succeed in this line of business, you will need some transferable skills that you’ll likely have picked up along your career journey so far. These skills are things such as:

A passion for animals in general and dogs in particular
The ability to understand dogs’ body language and read behavioural signs
The physical strength to handle larger dogs
Good general fitness and stamina levels to keep up with faster dogs
Marketing experience
Customer service experience
The ability to be patient and empathise
Excellent communication skills
The ability to problem solve

With these traits in hand, you’ll be laughing all the way into employment in a dog training franchise.

And, if you want to edge your way a little ahead of the competition, why not embellish your CV beforehand by getting an appropriate qualification? A Level 3 Dog Training Course – which is CPD Accredited – might be a good way to make yourself stand out from the crowd.

2. Research the industry and suss out the competition

Doing some deep-dive market analysis should be part of any sensible aspiring franchisees’ first steps into the industry they’re interested in. This is especially true in the dog training franchise, which is booming after the lockdowns during the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, in which 3.2 million pets were purchased by UK households [BBC].

You’ll want to explore all the options that are available to you within the dog training sector and build up a strong list of potential franchising opportunities that both interest you and might one day soon be your competitors. Once you've got this to hand, begin asking yourself a few of the following questions:

What will your franchise do better than all the other franchises operating in the sector at the moment?
What unique services will you be able to upsell?
How will you finance your franchise?
What will you promote to attract the right members of staff?
What working hours are you going to keep?
How are you going to ensure you stay ahead of your competition in the future?

The trick is to set yourself apart from the businesses that already exist within the industry and provide a unique service that you can see the sector is crying out for. Market it right, and watch the profits pour in.

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3. Find a franchise

Fresh off the heels of your market research, the time will come for you to finally decide which franchise within the dog training sector you’re going to put your paw print on. Be honest with yourself about what it is you want from this business venture, and consider:

Do you agree with the ethos of the franchise business?
How much money do you need to put forward for the initial investment?
What will the ongoing costs of the franchise business be?
What training and support will your franchise offer you in return for your investment?
Will you require financial support to get your franchise off the ground?

4. Do your due diligence

A vital part of any aspiring franchisee’s journey is doing due diligence on the franchise you think you might like to work with. Check out Point Franchise’s definitive due diligence checklist to ensure you’ve got every base covered and aren’t in for any nasty surprises.

With the current economic climate looking rather unsettled thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s been a tricky two years for most businesses. That’s why it’s more important than ever to do your due diligence and go through the financial status of the company that’s caught your eye, just to make sure everything adds up and is looking economically healthy.

Make a career change with a dog training franchise today

Embarking on a career in a brand new industry is always a daunting prospect, but if the article above has got your financial tail wagging, you know a dog training franchise might be the calling for you. If you’re still keen to keep your options open, simply have a look at the UK franchise directory for a complete list of opportunities in other sectors that might appeal more.