The first change was adjusting my service area which is mostly due to an infrastructure failure here in Rhode Island. Basically, a major bridge is in danger of literally collapsing and needs to be torn down and rebuilt. The on-ramp to this part of the interstate, which takes me to many parts of the state that needs to be replaced, is usually a three minute drive from my house (if that). Some days it can be a twenty minute drive. In the morning while I’m sitting at my kitchen table having coffee I can watch the traffic back up into my neighborhood. I was already considering dropping some of those areas due to lack of business and the travel problems just made the decision easier.
Next I re-assessed my service offerings based on what I was hearing from my clients. Some live in neighborhoods that are very overwhelming to their dogs, and neighborhood walks with a dog walker not familiar with handling a reactive dog were not doing them any good. I also had reports about one company asking to use shock collars on the dog because they were “hard to control”. Based on these conversations I realized there was a need for someone that could offer an experience with someone they (they being the dog) could trust and felt safe with, and more than a “walk” – so I started offering Enrichment Visits.
Enrichment visits are 40 or 60 minute visits that are more than “walks”. It’s basically whatever their dog enjoys. It’s a consistent experience taking into consideration any behavior struggles they might have. In other words I won’t take your reactive dog for walks in your dog filled neighborhood. We do other things. And it’s me, every time. No other dogs are involved no matter how social they are.
I’ve also been offering Outdoor Adventures, 90 minute decompression walks in the woods, for a couple of years. These are also solo adventures – no other dogs. Even super social dogs can benefit from not being super social and just engaging with the environment.
Both services have become extremely popular, take up most of my time, and are my favorite things to do!
A value added bonus to these services are free 30 minute virtual calls to watch videos of our visits and ask questions about their dog.
The next change was limiting how many in-person training/behavior clients I take on at a time. As of this writing I’m working with three families – one just starting, one halfway through their package, and another close to the end. I just updated my website stating I’m taking new clients again.
I’ve also started offering overnight stays to some clients. Again, a consistent experience from someone that understands their dogs behavior AND a smaller service area means they spend less time home alone.
The new smaller service area makes it possible for me to assist with care service on short notice. It also keeps me closer to home. I try to schedule my appointments so I can stop at home to do things like put on dry clothes, refill water bottles, and make better food choices!
Overall these changes have been beneficial to the business and my personal life: My schedule is more consistent and most days I’m done working mid afternoon. I still have a couple nights a week for virtual appointments but finish by 7pm. I’m not chasing people around to schedule appointments and I’m not panicking (as much) over new business. Overall I have more time off and making more money that is coming in on a regular basis than before making these changes.
Great to see the changes you’ve made which has been advantageous. I’m sure this will give other dog service providers food for thought!