We are rapidly approaching two decades of prospective dog trainers attending programs at the School for Dog Trainers. Since opening our doors in 2006, our School has welcomed students from across the globe, teaching them how to become exceptional dog trainers and providing them with the fundamentals of running their own business.
Whether graduates have studied our 24-week Master Dog Trainer program (covering all aspects of dog training), or pursued specialized courses focusing on Service Dogs, Police K9s or other disciplines of dog training, we are proud that 94% of our graduates are either employed as professional dog trainers or have started their own business in this competitive field.
Paul Allocco is just one of our graduates who has experienced tremendous success as a professional dog trainer. Paul is the founder of Beau’s K9 Academy, based in New Jersey. He studied the Master Dog Trainer program at the School for Dog Trainers back in the summer of 2019, graduating as part of Class 50.
In the latest installment of our Graduate Showcase series, we spoke with Paul for a brief Q&A session. We learned more about Beau’s K9 Academy; how his education at the School for Dog Trainers helped him to start his business; and the advice that he has for trainers who are considering embarking on a career in the dog training industry.
Paul, please tell us a little about your business, the services you offer, and what separates you from your competition.
Beau’s K9 Academy is a dog training company geared towards teaching people how to communicate with their dogs and helping to bridge the gap between their world and ours. We offer pet obedience in private lessons, day trains, and board and trains, from walking manners and general obedience to behavior modifications including resource aggression, learned aggression, fear reactivity, and dog reactivity. We also offer several sport programs for dogs that need a little more like PSA or civil protection training, intro into scent work or working level detection, agility class, and a prep class for the AKC CGC certification.
The way we stand out from other trainers in our area is how we train, for one. Balanced training methods have provided us the opportunity to work with clients that other trainers might choose to refer out, as well as our personal connection our trainers make with each client.
Could you tell us a little bit about your background with dogs?
Growing up, I had two dogs – Sandy and Beau. Obviously, Beau was the dog that really started the deep dive into dog training professionally, and guided me in a direction that introduced me to a lot of people that helped grow my knowledge and skills.
How did you first hear about Highland Canine and the School for Dog Trainers?
I learned about Highland from Mitch Christian, another Marine vet who told me his experience of the school.
Can you provide some insight into how your education at the School for Dog Trainers helped you to start your own business? How do you use what you learned at Highland in your day-to-day business activities?
The School for Dog Trainers laid the foundation for my company on the pet dog side. The classes that they offered really gave me confidence in what I needed to teach, and with the Master Dog Trainer program, it gave me enough time to feel comfortable and fluent in what I felt most people needed out of a dog trainer. The hands-on work strengthened my skills in being able to get a similar standard among several dogs.
How easy (or difficult) did you find it to transition to running your own business?
Starting anything from scratch is hard. But without the School’s business module, I feel that I would have most likely failed, or my success would have been much slower than what it was.
What is your favorite aspect of running your own business?
My favorite aspect of running my own business is the ability to give meaning to an employee and offer guidance to someone starting. I love making new roles and jobs in my company and watching this whole thing grow every year! I also love that this company is a representation of me, and that it is now a community business that so many people know and appreciate.
Today's students at the School for Dog Trainers are graduating into an industry which is experiencing significant year-on-year growth. This obviously has many positives, but it also makes it a very competitive industry to be successful in. Do you have any advice for graduates from Highland who are thinking of starting their own business in this industry?
Plan for rain but enjoy the shine. Dog training like a lot of other consumer services – it has high profit months and low profit months. Save when you can and make a strong budget. Be specific in what you offer in a program.
Finally, find a mentor! Listening to someone that has done it before and has succeeded can make the difference between failing and succeeding.
What are your future aspirations for your business?
Beau’s K9 Academy’s next big service is going to be rolling out in 2025 in bed bug detection, selling the detection services for companies that don’t want the expense of having a dog on staff, as well as selling the dogs and the recertification and upkeep for the dogs to companies. Our long-term goal is to have a school like I went to up here in the Northeast, for people to be able to attend, to become knowledgeable, and to spread the work of balanced training even further!
To learn more about Beau’s K9 Academy, visit https://beausk9academy.com/.