Let's Talk Dog Business

Many dog trainers obsess over methods, protocols and doing things “the right way” -  which 99% of the time means their way!

They tend to forget clients learn in a variety of ways - if you don’t adapt, they stall and disappear from your classes.

In this episode, Jo & Vicky share a simple personality framework (D.I.S.C) that explains why some dog owners want quick, direct instructions while others need time, detail, and reassurance, then explain how to tweak your style to fit their different personalities. 

They also cover how to use that framework to improve your own performance, business partnerships, make more sales, hire the right people, and inspire them to work at their best.

We've got a brand-new business health check for you - it´ll show you exactly where your business is working really fucking well, and where you are haemorrhaging time, money, and energy - all in the time it takes to make a cuppa. Just click the link to take our business health check quiz -https://quiz.caninebusinessacademy.com/health-check 

KEY TAKEAWAYS


To get better client results, you must match how you teach and support to how different personalities actually learn, decide and act.


If you build offers, sales pages and processes that only work for your own personality type, you´ll miss out. You need simple options that work for all four personality types.


Most “difficult” clients, team members or business partners aren’t difficult. Often, it is just that their default style e.g. task vs people, fast vs slow is clashing with your go to approach. 


Identifying and understanding your own personality type enables you to deliberately “dial up” or “dial down” your traits to achieve better results.


The strongest teams and partnerships are a combination of people with different personality profiles. It covers all of the bases but only works if each member of the team is flexible enough to adapt, when necessary.


Understanding personality types also helps with the sales process. It enables you to tweak your message and the point at which you pitch your offer to work for the person you are talking to.

BEST MOMENTS

“I had to learn … I have to adapt if we're going to make this beneficial for everyone, having this awareness in how you coach as well.”

“I need to meet them where they are at.”

“Learning all of this stuff, it's given me the ability to step back and go, it's not you. It's a trait that you have that's clashing with mine.”

“Ask the question - what do you need from me to make that a success?”

EPISODE RESOURCES

The Impact Your Personality Profile Has on Your Business with Andy Nisevic

 

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-impact-your-personality-profile-has-on-your/id1727170978?i=1000668232509

SOCIALS AND IMPORTANT LINKS

https://www.tiktok.com/@letstalkdogbusiness

https://www.youtube.com/@LetsTalkDogBusiness

Website www.caninebusinessacademy.com

Community Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/caninebusinessacademycommunity

Let´s Talk Dog Business Strategy Book - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lets-Talk-Dog-Business-Strategy/dp/1068791705

Email: [email protected]

ABOUT THE HOSTS

We’re Jo Moorcroft and Vicky Davies. Force-free dog trainers, business strategists, and co-founders of Canine Business Academy. Collectively, we’ve been dog training for nearly three decades, built a six-figure dog training business, and grown CBA into a multi–six-figure global brand, all while raising kids, a university degree and life life'ing. Featured on BBC, FOX and NBC, and authors of Let’s Talk Dog Business Strategy. Giving a shit is the strategy. Getting shit done is the method.

This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

Dog trainers love the idea of offers that sell themselves from a post, a page, or a button. No calls. No awkward conversations. Just checkout links.

That works well for low ticket items – but when you want to sell higher-ticket services, that faceless model quietly caps your income. Your fear of picking up the phone keeps the most profitable clients at arm’s length.

If you want to break free of that fear, you only need to listen in, get a little brave and use our techniques to take the right action.

We've got a brand-new business health check for you - it´ll show you exactly where your business is working really fucking well, and where you are haemorrhaging time, money and energy - all in the time it takes to make a cuppa. Just click the link to take our business health check quiz -https://quiz.caninebusinessacademy.com/health-check 

KEY TAKEAWAYS


If your current low-contact model isn’t giving you the income or enquiries you want, speaking to people and adding human touchpoints is what you need.


Low-ticket items are easier to sell facelessly online, while high-ticket sales almost always require you to have a real conversation with someone.


Speaking to people via phone calls and in-person makes it easier for you and your would-be client to identify the problem properly and assess whether you are a good fit for each other.


Most people struggle with making phone calls, we are no longer used to doing it and prefer speaking online.


“No time,” “they’re probably busy,” or “I need all the info first” are often stories masking fear, discomfort, or imposter syndrome.


Having a clear framework in mind before making the call makes things much easier. A few opening sentences, what to ask and how to close the conversation reduces anxiety and makes sales calls more effective and less awkward.


Practice is what removes fear. Like dog-training mastery of phone conversations comes from repetition. 


Accept that first few calls will be a bit clunky, do it anyway, don´t beat yourself up about it, take a few deep breaths and make your next call. Do this until you get good at it.


Being fully yourself matters. That includes how you talk, swear and joke. Being your true self filters out the wrong people and attracts clients who genuinely fit you and your way of working.

BEST MOMENTS

"It's the human-to-human connection that's missing." 

"If you are thinking, I'm busy enough. However, I'm not earning as much as I would like, and or maybe I'm not getting enough inquiries in or earning enough, or then this is where speaking to people is going to massively set you apart."  

"This works for introverts too."

"If you feel confident in a starting point, an end point, and what you do in between, then the rest kind of just flows and comes more easily."

"To create the habit - do the thing."

https://quiz.caninebusinessacademy.com/health-check 

SOCIALS AND IMPORTANT LINKS

https://www.tiktok.com/@letstalkdogbusiness

https://www.youtube.com/@LetsTalkDogBusiness

Website www.caninebusinessacademy.com

Community Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/caninebusinessacademycommunity

Let´s Talk Dog Business Strategy Book - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lets-Talk-Dog-Business-Strategy/dp/1068791705

Email: [email protected]

ABOUT THE HOSTS

We’re Jo Moorcroft and Vicky Davies. Force-free dog trainers, business strategists and co-founders of Canine Business Academy. Collectively, we’ve been dog training for nearly three decades, built a six-figure dog training business, and grown CBA into a multi–six-figure global brand, all while raising kids, a university degree and life life'ing. Featured on BBC, FOX and NBC, and authors of Let’s Talk Dog Business Strategy. Giving a shit is the strategy. Getting shit done is the method.

This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

DESCRIPTION

Most dog trainers struggle with selling high-ticket services - and that’s completely normal. 

But the real issue usually isn’t your offer or your clients. It’s your relationship with money. 

In this episode, we dig into where that reluctance really comes from: childhood conditioning like “money doesn’t grow on trees,” family and friends projecting their fears onto you, and why you feel the urge to justify, discount, or dodge the money conversation altogether. 

We unpack how your discomfort around money can quietly put clients off - and how to start building a healthier, more confident money mindset so you can finally charge what you’re worth.

We've got a brand-new business health check for you - it´ll show you exactly where your business is working really fucking well, and where you are haemorrhaging time, money, and energy - all in the time it takes to make a cuppa. Just click the link to take our business health check quiz -https://quiz.caninebusinessacademy.com/health-check 

KEY TAKEAWAYS


Reluctance to sell high-ticket service is normal - most dog trainers struggle to do it.


Usually, your reluctance is not about your not having confidence in the product you are offering and its value.


For most people it is their money mindset coupled with imposter syndrome and what people will think if you charge a high-ticket price that stops them from selling at a price point that makes them truly profitable.


Most of your money mindset comes from your upbringing – parents turning lights off, “money doesn’t grow on trees,” and being “careful with money” all shape what your perception of what people will think is a “reasonable” price. 


You project your own money beliefs onto clients - you think “no one will pay that,” while the same people are happily spending £40 on a light lunch, £200 on a private ski lesson and enjoying other expensive treats.


Avoiding or apologising for the price keeps you stuck – hiding prices in emails, discounting when someone hesitates, or trying to “convince” people leaves you resentful and underpaid. 


Doing the uncomfortable inner work changes everything – when you unpick your layers around money, self-worth, and rejection, you stop taking “no” personally and finally feel okay charging for the real value you deliver. 

BEST MOMENTS

“The hard part is actually breaking through the barriers in your brain to think that someone's actually going to part with the cash.”

“It’s 's not an industry problem. It's not a what you're offering problem; it's a money mindset problem .”

“Somebody will always question a price point, and it's how you respond to that that matters.”

“We're human, and we come with baggage, and we come with thoughts and feelings that are different and are blockers.”

“It's understanding the market.”

SOCIALS AND IMPORTANT LINKS

https://www.tiktok.com/@letstalkdogbusiness

https://www.youtube.com/@LetsTalkDogBusiness

Website www.caninebusinessacademy.com

Community Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/caninebusinessacademycommunity

Let´s Talk Dog Business Strategy Book - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lets-Talk-Dog-Business-Strategy/dp/1068791705

Email: [email protected]

ABOUT THE HOSTS

We’re Jo Moorcroft and Vicky Davies. Force-free dog trainers, business strategists and co-founders of Canine Business Academy. Collectively, we’ve been dog training for nearly three decades, built a six-figure dog training business, and grown CBA into a multi–six-figure global brand, all while raising kids, a university degree and life life'ing. Featured on BBC, FOX and NBC, and authors of Let’s Talk Dog Business Strategy. Giving a shit is the strategy. Getting shit done is the method.

This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

DESCRIPTION

Owning your expertise can feel a bit… egotistical, right? We all tend to feel we are “showing off” if we dare to call ourselves an expert. 

But being seen as the expert by clients is important. It isn’t about bragging rights or badges  - it’s about clearly showing people you’ve got the knowledge and skills to help them and their dogs. 

In this episode, we reveal how to be seen as the local expert, how to keep your message simple and consistent, what the 7–11–4 rule means for your marketing, and why your gut feeling about your business model and future plans matters more to your clients than any certificate or qualification.

We've got a brand-new business health check for you - it´ll show you exactly where your business is working really fucking well, and where you are haemorrhaging time, money, and energy - all in the time it takes to make a cuppa. Just click the link to take our business health check quiz -https://quiz.caninebusinessacademy.com/health-check 

KEY TAKEAWAYS


Owning your expertise and calling yourself an expert can feel egotistical. As a result, many brilliant trainers stay quiet and as a result are invisible to the people who need them. 


Qualifications and badges don’t sell  you. Most people do not even know what the letters mean - clients care that you understand them and their dog and get results. 


You only need to be the clear, confident go‑to expert in your local area. You are not in competition with the big industry names. 


One clever post or random content doesn´t cut it.


When you show up in the same way, as yourself, people trust and hire you. 


Make regularly posting on social media an integral part of your workflow.


In phase one of your business journey, strong sales skills beat complex funnels and marketing tactics. Start simple.


Use sales calls to embody expertise: truly listen and respond to what is actually said and ask smart questions instead of listing your credentials. 


Calling yourself a “dog trainer” matches how people actually search and talk. Even if you see yourself as a behaviourist or coach, you still need to use “dog trainer” so you can be found by people who need your expertise.

BEST MOMENTS

"People have this aversion to showing off that they're an expert or sharing to the world that they're an expert." 

"Expert is showing somebody that you've got the knowledge, the skills to be able to do the thing that you do best, which in this case would be dog training." 

"It's prospective buyers connecting with you, building that trust, knowing that you are the right person for them, and you've got the expertise."

“The local area is the place to target that knowledge and expertise. If  you're in the right local Facebook groups, for example, then you're reaching those local people.”

“Adding this (social media posting) into your workflow helps prospective buyers connect with you .”

https://quiz.caninebusinessacademy.com/health-check 

SOCIALS AND IMPORTANT LINKS

https://www.tiktok.com/@letstalkdogbusiness

https://www.youtube.com/@LetsTalkDogBusiness

Website www.caninebusinessacademy.com

Community Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/caninebusinessacademycommunity

Let´s Talk Dog Business Strategy Book - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lets-Talk-Dog-Business-Strategy/dp/1068791705

Email: [email protected]

ABOUT THE HOSTS

We’re Jo Moorcroft and Vicky Davies. Force-free dog trainers, business strategists and co-founders of Canine Business Academy. Collectively, we’ve been dog training for nearly three decades, built a six-figure dog training business, and grown CBA into a multi–six-figure global brand, all while raising kids, a university degree and life life'ing. Featured on BBC, FOX and NBC, and authors of Let’s Talk Dog Business Strategy. Giving a shit is the strategy. Getting shit done is the method.

This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

DESCRIPTION

Dog trainers are struggling – for many it is because they have drifted into running a business that hasn´t kept pace with how the market has changed.

In this episode, Jo & Vicky talk directly to force-free trainers who are struggling to fill classes and feel pressured to drop their prices while quietly sensing “something has shifted” in the industry but are not quite sure how. They reveal what’s actually changed, why joining the race to the bottom won’t work, and how to build bespoke, high-value programmes that are genuinely useful for modern, time-poor owners as well as profitable and sustainable for you.

Listen in to move beyond the 90s class model and  start thinking like a future-focused, industry-aware, dog pro.

We've got a brand-new business health check for you - it´ll show you exactly where your business is working really fucking well, and where you are haemorrhaging time, money, and energy - all in the time it takes to make a cuppa. Just click the link to take our business health check quiz -https://quiz.caninebusinessacademy.com/health-check 

KEY TAKEAWAYS


Dog training is stuck in 1990 – trainers are still selling one‑offs, 3 pack sessions, and group classes that don’t fit how people live now and do not incorporate the latest training science.


The more educated the public becomes about dogs, the more they’ll question why you’re still selling outdated, cookie‑cutter services. 


Owners want a dog that listens, settles in public, ignores distractions, and can relax under the pub table, not one that is good at fancy exercises.


The question isn’t “Is there demand?” it is “Do I offer a good ROI of time and money for today´s owners?” There is plenty of demand including for puppy classes.


Racing to the bottom on price is a fear reaction, not a strategy. 


In a world of YT and ChatGPT, ad hoc, low‑ticket sessions are easy to replace; high‑touch, outcome‑focused programmes and real human support are not.


Group classes force you to deliver one plan to eight different dog–human teams - key problems go unaddressed and some owners feel unseen.


Having a niche won´t limit you. Being “the scent work guy” makes you stand out. Stop mass marketing, target a specific need instead.


Back yourself - design offers you love delivering. It makes it easier for clients to trust you, commit, and get results. 

BEST MOMENTS

“We need to change … from these archaic, old-fashioned models that have been going since the 90s. It´s 2026.”

“People listening to this are getting one or two people in a puppy class, where you'd normally fill it with eight people.”

“There is such a great opportunity this year, to really market yourself to the minority and start moving away from mass marketing.”

“Everyone seems to be on a race to the bottom … I can't compete with £10 session.”

“We really have to start connecting on that human level again.”

“Be playful, be creative with your offers.”

IIMPORTANT LINKS

https://www.tiktok.com/@letstalkdogbusiness

https://www.youtube.com/@LetsTalkDogBusiness

Website www.caninebusinessacademy.com

Community Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/caninebusinessacademycommunity

Let´s Talk Dog Business Strategy Book - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lets-Talk-Dog-Business-Strategy/dp/1068791705

Email: [email protected]

ABOUT THE HOSTS

We’re Jo Moorcroft and Vicky Davies. Force-free dog trainers, business strategists, and co-founders of Canine Business Academy. Collectively, we’ve been dog training for nearly three decades, built a six-figure dog training business, and grown CBA into a multi–six-figure global brand, all while raising kids, a university degree and life life'ing. Featured on BBC, FOX and NBC, and authors of Let’s Talk Dog Business Strategy. Giving a shit is the strategy. Getting shit done is the method.

This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/