How can I grow a dog training business after buying it?

Growth in a training business comes mostly from the people already in your classes. Dogs graduate, owners tell friends and a good trainer is hard to replace. In the early months after a purchase, the job is to keep what you bought steady and then build on it. Resist the urge to change the programs, the prices and the schedule all at once.

Keep the trainer and the clients

Talk to every trainer and to the clients on the current schedule soon after closing. Tell them what is staying the same. If the previous owner taught many of the classes, agree how that will be handled during the transition. Clients who feel looked after are more likely to sign up for the next course.

Add the next step for graduates

A dog that finishes a basic course often has somewhere further to go. Look at what the business offers after puppy and beginner classes and whether a next level, a refresher or a specialty class would fill a gap. Ask your trainers what clients keep asking for. Try a new program with a small group before you put it on the full schedule.

Referral partners, booking and reviews

Vets, groomers and pet stores often send clients to a trainer they trust. Visit them, thank them and make it easy to refer. Check that booking and payment are simple to use online, and ask happy clients to leave a review where new owners search. Check each step against your own records.

• Meet each trainer and the current clients early.
• Add one new class level or program at a time.
• Visit referral partners in person.
• Make booking simple and ask for reviews.

The handover advice in what to do in the first months after buying a pet store applies here as well, and how to grow a gas station business after buying it shows the same idea in another trade.