1. Introduction:

Can you share a bit about your background and experience in the professional dog services industry, plus the services you offer now?

Answer: I started Karma Dog Training in 2005, after four years of intense study in the dog world, primarily from having raised my three male pit bulls who all had various issues that I had to work through. It was the real life, hands-on experience that I gained doing my very best every day to give them the kind of life that I thought they deserved, which propelled me into the dog world.

At the time I first got my dogs, I had no experience whatsoever in dealing with issues such as resource guarding, dog-to-dog conflict, and separation anxiety, so to say I was "learning on the job" is an understatement.

The services we currently offer range from puppy kindergarten classes to intense behavior modification training and everything in between. We've also created about a dozen brand new programs we call our 'Karma Dog Originals' that we're really proud of. These include our 'Workplace Certified' program, our 'Trauma Release for Dog Parents' program and our 'Divine Guidance for Dogs' program.

2. Philosophy and Approach:

What guiding principles or philosophies shape your approach to providing dog services?

Answer: The guiding principles and philosophies that shape Karma Dog's approach are quite simple: I believe in the law of Karma wholeheartedly, not only in how it pertains to how we should treat our animals but also how we should treat our clients. So whether it's myself or anyone who works within our organization, every conversation with a client should have at its root that we are treating them exactly the way that we would want to be treated if the roles were reversed and it was us reaching out for help getting one of our dogs trained.

My intention is always to do for our clients the exact thing that I would want done for me. This core philosophy is why I believe the Universe supports our efforts through every unexpected business challenge you can imagine over the course of 20 years, including thriving during the Covid 19 pandemic.

The way I look at it is simple. I believe every single person alive is being guided to a greater or lesser extent by their own Spirit Guides through the mechanism of 'Intuition'. What this means specifically is that you can't 'fake' or 'trick' or 'deceive' a person's Spirit Guides. Their Guides can see what you're up to. So, in order to earn a person's business, you have to literally be their best option. In my mind, that's the only way their Spirit Guides (who can see everything you're doing behind the scenes) will intuitively nudge them to do business with you.

3. Location and Community:

Could you share a bit about the area or community in which you provide your dog services? How does the location influence your approach to caring for dogs and their owners?

Karma Dog currently holds in person classes in about a dozen cities, however, we service over 500 cities with in-home private training sessions and we service the entire globe with our two immersive programs, our 'Full Immersion' program and our 'Vacation Program' aka our 'Reverse' Board & Train program.

Since we began implementing these two programs, we have the ability to help any dog parent, anywhere in the world. And if we're sold out in either one of those programs, we are happy to provide free virtual training classes to anyone in the world.

4. Bonding and Communication:

How do you foster strong bonds and effective communication between dogs and their owners during training and care sessions?

Answer: Every situation is unique, however, there are certain guiding principles that have proven to be very effective over many years of doing this work. First and foremost, we always want to remain non-judgmental in each situation we walk into. We know that everybody is doing the very best given their level of education and experience with their dogs.

Secondly, we always want to be as supportive and nurturing as possible in our relationship with our clients. It's extremely important that they feel that they have someone on their side to take this journey with them and that we're a source of positive encouragement and support.

Lastly, we always want to be as truthful as we can when it comes to choosing which of our training protocols would be best for their dog. In many instances, this means turning away thousands of dollars at least a handful of times each day, as we always guide them towards the most effective training protocol.

5. Challenges and Solutions:

What are some of the challenges you've encountered in the industry, and how have you overcome them to provide exceptional service?

Answer: I think some of the challenges in the dog world are no different than challenges. You would probably find it in any industry. The fact is that whether it's a veterinarian who recommends a certain type of dog food to their clients that they make a profit from, to certain individuals and companies who push products and services, they know, may not be in the best interest of their clients dogs, the most important aspect is to do everything you can to never put profits over people. I think it's extremely important to do this job with the utmost integrity, which I would attribute more than any other factor, to the abundance we experience.

6. Success Stories:

Could you share a memorable success story where you witnessed a significant positive change in a dog's behaviour or relationship with its owner?

Answer: I could recall a moment when I first started in a training session, when a client was being very rough and borderline abusive with their dog. Although I wanted to call him out for his behavior, I knew that if I was going to come from a place of judgment, I would get nowhere with him, and he would probably throw me out of his house. Instead, I started to praise him for every single positive interaction he had with his dog, by the end of the training session, he was not only treating the dog with more kindness and respect, he now felt he had an identity to live up to as a great dog parent.

What I have found to be true over the years is it bad if we can help people to see themselves ask the best version of themselves or, they tend to feel they have an identity to live up to, in this particular case, as he started to get praise, for being kind to his dog, as well as praise from me, noticing his kindness, it was like a new type of relationship was born in that moment. One where he was now beginning to see himself as a dog parent who responded with kindness and respect towards his dog.

7. Ethical Practices:

How do you ensure that your dog care practices align with ethical standards and prioritize the well-being of the animals in your care?

The most important part of what we do is to hire the right people. When you hire the exact type of person that you know, intuitively is vibrating at a very high frequency, the potential for them to act in any way, shape or form that wouldn't be congruent with what's in the highest and best interest for their clients dogs is very minimal.

When I hire a person, I am picking up their energy and relying heavily on my intuition and 20 years of experience doing this work. They have to go through a rigorous interview process and also a rigorous onboarding process, where the only way they'll make it through to actually be able to work with our clients is by showing an aptitude and determination that shows me they have what it takes to go the extra mile.

I also think that when it comes to what the priorities are, everyone of our trainers understand without any ambiguity whatsoever that we never put profits over people and we're always going to do what's in the highest and best interest of our clients' dogs.

8. City Logistics and Challenges:

Can you share some insights about the biggest logistical challenges you face while working in your city? For example, how are you managing your interactions with local authorities or licensing departments to ensure smooth operations?

I would say that the biggest, logistical challenges may come from not knowing exactly what the requirements are for either a permit to teach outdoor class at and/or what state taxes could be applied to your business unbeknownst to you when you first start in a new city.

It's for this reason, I would suggest to any neophyte dog trainer who is looking to start their own business, do your due diligence and contact the local city government branch and find out what permits might be necessary to hold a class.

I would also suggest that it would be prudent to contact a local corporate attorney who can guide you through which taxes you'll be responsible for. If your business is doing well enough to the point where you can hire a payroll service, they can help you take care of all of the things that you may not want to involve yourself with.

9. Business Efficiency Systems:

What systems or strategies do you have in place to ensure the efficient day-to-day running of your dog services business? From scheduling to communication, we'd love to learn about the methods that contribute to your business's overall success.

The truth of the matter is, we have tried several different types of CRM's and we have put in place the use of all sorts of spreadsheets and PowerPoints, but at the end of the day they are useless, compared to doing the simple and honest job of connecting with clients in a deep and meaningful way, and being of service to them in a way that you can be proud of.

The way I look at it is very simple. You can't fool the Universe. At the end of the day, every single dog parent is being guided by their spirit guides to make the very best and highest decision on behalf of their dogs. What this means to me is that if you're not the very best option for there, dog, not only will you not get their business, but you don't deserve to get their business, and it would be an injustice, if you were to somehow get their business. This is why it's absolutely imperative you hire the very, very, very best dog trainers you can, you offer your services at the most reasonable prices possible, and you treat your clients exactly the way you would want to be treated.

10. The industry:

How do you think it will change over the next decade?

I think we are coming into an age of 'on-demand' dog training. I think that people are going to be able to be helped quicker and have greater options when it comes to giving their dogs the best education possible.

I also think that dog training will not be just a one time thing that people sign up for and then forget about. I think that in the same way that we take our kids through many years of schooling before they graduate high school or college, people will start to look at dog training and educating their dogs as a lifestyle, and seek out an ongoing continuous process of reinforcement, enrichment and further education.

11. Advice for Peers:

What advice would you offer to fellow dog care professionals looking to provide high-quality and compassionate services to their clients?

Answer: I always treat your clients as if they are your family members and always treat their dogs as if they are your own.

12. Lastly, because we can't resist asking, what's your favourite breed of dog and why? We promise not to judge!

My favorite dog breed is the pit bull and I honestly have no idea why that is!