Today we’d like to introduce you to Leighann Hurley.
Hi Leighann, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I’ve been interested in dogs for about as long as I can remember. We didn’t have a dog when I was growing up, so I turned to dog-sitting to scratch that itch. Looking back, I cannot believe anyone trusted an eight year old with their dog, but they did!
The dog-sitting slowly turned into boarding out of our home and I got to live with the dogs instead of just visiting them.
Throughout this period, I read about training and practiced with the dogs that came through our door, but I didn’t receive any formal instruction until 2009 when I volunteered as Foster Trainer for Service Dogs, Inc. That experience launched me into the positive-reinforcement dog training world and I am forever grateful for that organization’s investment in me.
As high school graduation approached, I wanted to pursue dog training as a career, but none of the education options I investigated were a good fit. An established dog trainer advised I increase my exposure to lots of different dogs so I began volunteering at an animal shelter.
To my utter disbelief, that shelter later offered me a job as a surgery technician in their spay/neuter department. I brought nothing to the table except a weak stomach and no prior experience. I’d been looking for a job but would have never considered surgery had God not dropped it in my lap. I spent 4 ½ years there doing things I never dreamt I’d do.
Most of those tech skills get no exercise these days, but I wouldn’t trade my time spent there. The sheer number of dogs I had to assess and safely handle was an incredible education that benefits me to this day.
In 2014, after roughly thirteen years of hobby boarding, Koinonia Training and Boarding was born. Five years later, and ten years after my dog training journey started, I earned my Certified Professional Dog Trainer-Knowledge Assessed certification.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
My journey has been easier than for others, but not without some challenges!
The first bump was actually getting on the road.
Traditional colleges do not offer degrees in dog training. Psychology and ethology are related fields, but neither would fully prepare one to train dogs professionally. There are a few specialty schools/programs that focus exclusively on dog training, but none of those were viable options for me for various reasons. Apprenticeship was also considered and set aside.
Initially, I was also pretty concerned about working as a professional dog trainer when I didn’t even own a dog. I feared others would think that like going to a marriage counselor who wasn’t married! Once I got started, though, the topic rarely came up.
About four years into my business, I also experienced such a lull in business that I considered looking for other work. That period passed, though, and with this years’ huge increase in demand, my schedule is nearly as full as I’d like.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
As a pet dog trainer, I do a lot of problem-solving and I love it! Most of my cases involve problems with:
• Puppies: potty training, biting, basic obedience
• Rowdy dogs: jumping, barking for attention, not listening, too much energy
• Reactive dogs: pulling on leash, barking and/or lunging at other dogs
Regardless of what behavior problem the family needs help with, I love solving the underlying communication problem: how do I get a different species to understand what I want?
I am committed to solving those problems with positive-reinforcement techniques that minimize distress for the dog.
I work with clients via private sessions where I teach them how to train their dog, OR via day training where I work one-on-one with the dog to jumpstart the training for them.
Either way, I want to see problems solved so dogs and their families can enjoy as much togetherness as possible!
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
From a business perspective, one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned (and am still learning!) is the necessity of time off.
The idea of a ‘Sabbath’ was instilled in me from a very young age, and I’ve taken Sundays off for rest and worship throughout my career.
This year, though, the demand for training has been very high and I’ve been working more than ever. In the midst of that, someone in my marketing group said something that has really stuck with me: “what’s the point of doing what you love if you never have time to enjoy life?”
I’m now taking more time off and encourage other entrepreneurs to do that same! Things won’t fall apart if you do, and you’ll be in a better position to keep doing what you’re doing!
Contact Info:
- Email: koinoniadogs@gmail.com
- Website: www.koinoniadogs.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/koinoniadogs/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KoinoniaDogs
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCegSN0tDKyW2940uthLlx4g
