from: the midwest book review; the bookwatch, feb 2008

By Diane C. Donovan, Editor
A professional dog trainer, Veronica Boutelle is also the former Director of Behavior & Training at the SF SPCA. In How To Run a Dog Business: Putting Your Career Where Your Heart Is, she draws upon her many years of experience and expertise to show aspiring dog trainers wanting to start their own business how to analyze their market, set prices, and advertise their services; determine what licenses, insurance, and professional affiliations are needed; create systems that profitably streamline the business; and how to balance work demands with having a personal life.

Exceptionally well written and superbly organized, How To Run A Dog Business is very highly recommended for aspiring professionals, as well as non-specialized general readers who enjoy the company and training of their canine companions.

from: dogworld, june 2008

By editorial staff
It’s lots of fun discovering the possibilities of showing, trialling, agility and other dog activities but why not explore the possibility of turning your canine love and expertise into a career? Whether you’re interested in becoming a professional dog trainer, walker, sitter or daycare operator, How to Run a Dog Business has the advice you need.

Veronica Boutelle, the industry’s top consultant, takes you through everything you need to know to start and operate a prosperous dog business including market analysis, licensing, business systems and practices and more.

from: dogsnsw.au.org, may 2008

By editorial staff
Between 10 and 20 percent of start-up businesses survive two years. These grim statistics discourage many from taking the plunge even though a sensible business plan can ensure a firm footing in that tiny percentage.

Author Veronica Boutelle, former director of Behavior & Training at the San Francisco SPCA, now works as a full-time business consultant. Rather than trying to squash anyone’s dreams, she highlights some obvious reasons why new ventures flounder and offers sensible precautions such as investigating all aspects of a prospective career, especially those parts that do not involve interaction with dogs. In addition to loving dogs, you must enjoy working with people and be willing to delve into the commercial side of it. This is the part most people dread, and she makes it as painless a s possible, starting with preliminary steps such as creating a business plan, estimating a budget, and finding start-up capital.

Most topics are cut and dried, but she also tackles gray areas such as avoiding burnout and deciding when to take on a partner. These issues don’t come under the heading of a conventional business plan but often prove to be the proverbial last straw for entrepreneurial ventures.

Boutelle includes plenty of real-life profiles to illustrate typical hurdles such as expanding part-time aspirations into a viable full-time career and retroactively obtaining a business license. A comprehensive series of charts are included to help the reader organize a business and keep it running smoothly.

Much of the advice can be applied to many small businesses, but the book is tailored to the needs of trainers, dog walkers, pet sitters, and daycare operators, which represents only a segment of flourishing dog businesses.