How to Start a Dog Training Business

Start a dog training business by following these 10 steps:

1. Plan your Dog Training Business
2. Form your Dog Training Business into a Legal Entity
3. Register your Dog Training Business for Taxes
4. Open a Business Bank Account & Credit Card
5. Set up Accounting for your Dog Training Business
6. Get the Necessary Permits & Licenses for your Dog Training Business
7. Get Dog Training Business Insurance
8. Define your Dog Training Business Brand
9. Create your Dog Training Business Website
10. Set up your Business Phone System

We have put together this simple guide to starting your dog training business. These steps will ensure that your new business is well planned out, registered properly and legally compliant.

Exploring your options? Check out other small business ideas.

STEP 1: Plan your business

A clear plan is essential for success as an entrepreneur. It will help you map out the specifics of your business and discover some unknowns. A few important topics to consider are:

• What will you name your business?
• What are the startup and ongoing costs?
• Who is your target market?
• How much can you charge customers?

Luckily we have done a lot of this research for you.

What will you name your business?

Choosing the right name is important and challenging. If you don’t already have a name in mind, visit our How to Name a Business guide or get help brainstorming a name with our Dog Training Business Name Generator

If you operate a sole proprietorship, you might want to operate under a business name other than your own name. Visit our DBA guide to learn more.

When registering a business name, we recommend researching your business name by checking:

• Your state's business records
• Federal and state trademark records
• Social media platforms
• Web domain availability.

It's very important to secure your domain name before someone else does.

What are the costs involved in opening a dog training business?

The startup costs associated with opening a dog training business are relatively minimal. Business owners need to have a phone and computer so they can effectively communicate with clients and market online.

Aside from this, they either need a place to train dogs or transportation to clients’ homes. Those who don’t want to sign a long-term lease may be able to rent space a few days a week in a pet store, use a local park or train dogs in a fenced-in yard.

What are the ongoing expenses for a dog training business?

A dog training business has two primary ongoing expenses. Unless training dogs in a home, the business must continue to lease or rent space for training dogs. How much this cost amounts to depends on where the business is located, how much space it uses and how often the business uses the space. The business must also pay to renew any certifications that expire. Renewing certifications usually doesn’t cost as much as initially becoming certified.

Who is the target market?

An ideal client is someone who has at least one dog, has discretionary income and is busy. People who have little discretionary income are less likely to pay someone to train their dog. People who have many obligations and discretionary income are less likely to have time to train their dog themselves and have income to pay a training business.

How does a dog training business make money?

Dog training businesses are paid for training dogs. Businesses may offer multi-week classes people can sign their dogs up for, one-on-one lessons and remedial behavior correction sessions. Additionally, some dog training businesses also offer dog walking, dog sitting and dog grooming, which provide additional income sources.

How much can you charge customers?

The cost of dog training varies widely, depending on a trainer’s expertise, the number of dogs in a class and the location of a business. Group classes typically cost $50 to $125 and run between four and eight weeks. Private lessons typically range from $30 to $100 per hour, with most dogs requiring at least several hours of training. The higher ends of these ranges are usually earned by trainers who have at least one certification.

How can you make your business more profitable?

Dog training businesses can increase profits by opening more classes, encouraging people to sign up for individual sessions, getting trainers more certifications or adding other services. Starting more classes and signing clients up for one-on-one sessions increases how many hours dogs are being trained, and thus increases revenue. Getting more certifications gives trainers more expertise, allowing a business to charge more for the amount of time they spend training dogs. Adding other services, such as dog walking, dog sitting or dog grooming lets a business continue to serve clients after their dogs have been trained.

STEP 2: Form a legal entity

The most common business structure types are the sole proprietorship, partnership, limited liability company (LLC), and corporation.

Establishing a legal business entity such as an LLC or corporation protects you from being held personally liable if your dog training business is sued.

You can form an LLC yourself and pay only the minimal state LLC costs or hire one of the Best LLC Services for a small, additional fee.

STEP 3: Register for taxes

You will need to register for a variety of state and federal taxes before you can open for business.

In order to register for taxes you will need to apply for an EIN. It's really easy and free!

There are specific state taxes that might apply to your business. Learn more about state sales tax and franchise taxes in our state sales tax guides.

STEP 4: Open a business bank account & credit card

Using dedicated business banking and credit accounts is essential for personal asset protection.

When your personal and business accounts are mixed, your personal assets (your home, car, and other valuables) are at risk in the event your business is sued. In business law, this is referred to as piercing your corporate veil.

Open a business bank account

Besides being a requirement when applying for business loans, opening a business bank account:

• Separates your personal assets from your company's assets, which is necessary for personal asset protection.
• Makes accounting and tax filing easier.

Get a business credit card

Getting a business credit card helps you:

• Separate personal and business expenses by putting your business' expenses all in one place.
• Build your company's credit history, which can be useful to raise money later on.

STEP 5: Set up business accounting

Recording your various expenses and sources of income is critical to understanding the financial performance of your business. Keeping accurate and detailed accounts also greatly simplifies your annual tax filing.

Make LLC accounting easy with our LLC Expenses Cheat Sheet.

STEP 6: Obtain necessary permits and licenses

Failure to acquire necessary permits and licenses can result in hefty fines, or even cause your business to be shut down.

State & Local Business Licensing Requirements

Certain state permits and licenses may be needed to operate an dog training business. Learn more about licensing requirements in your state by visiting SBA’s reference to state licenses and permits.

Service Agreement

Dog training businesses should consider requiring clients to sign a service agreement before starting a new project. This agreement should clarify client expectations and minimize risk of legal disputes by setting out payment terms and conditions, service level expectations, and intellectual property ownership. Here is an example service agreement.

Recommended: Rocket Lawyer makes it easy to create a professional service agreement for your dog training business when you sign up for their premium membership. For $39.95 per month, members receive access to hundreds of legal agreements and on call attorneys to get complimentary legal advice.

STEP 7: Get business insurance

Just as with licenses and permits, your business needs insurance in order to operate safely and lawfully. Business Insurance protects your company’s financial wellbeing in the event of a covered loss.

There are several types of insurance policies created for different types of businesses with different risks. If you’re unsure of the types of risks that your business may face, begin with General Liability Insurance. This is the most common coverage that small businesses need, so it’s a great place to start for your business.

Another notable insurance policy that many businesses need is Workers’ Compensation Insurance. If your business will have employees, it’s a good chance that your state will require you to carry Workers' Compensation Coverage.

Is this Business Right For You?

People who love dogs and other people may be well-suited for owning a dog training business, as the work involves interacting with both dogs and their owners. Patience is another valuable attribute, because training dogs often requires repeating the same drill multiple times. Dog training businesses usually operate during the day, which can make it difficult to run a business while keeping a traditional day job.

What happens during a typical day at a dog training business?

Dog training business owners usually work with dogs on a daily basis, which often requires moving about a lot (sitting, standing, walking, running, throwing, etc.). Business owners also spend time interacting with dogs’ owners, teaching them how to interact with their dogs and providing training updates. Marketing, which is essential to growing a dog training business, can also take up a lot of time.

What are some skills and experiences that will help you build a successful dog training business?

Dog training business owners need to be familiar with the various techniques used to nonviolently train dogs. Dogs of different ages, breeds and personalities may respond differently to training, so owners should have several techniques they can use with any given dog.

The most sought-after trainers have certifications that show their credentials. Many associations provide certification programs that teach different dog training techniques. These programs may be offered through local or regional schools, or online.

What is the growth potential for a dog training business?

Dogs usually only need to be trained once, so the need for a dog training business in any geographic area is dependent upon the amount of untrained dogs in that area. Many dog training businesses start out with just one, or at most a few, trainers who serve a local area. Some businesses remain small, while others open up satellite locations to reach more potential clients. Few dog training businesses become larger than a local chain with programs situated around a city.

Not sure if a dog training business is right for you? Try our free Business Idea Generator and find your perfect idea.