Before we embarked down the franchise path we had thought long and hard about the options for expanding our business. We had originally looked at employing other trainers to take on the demand that we had for our services but after careful consideration decided against it. We knew, from experience, that employees need to be given constant incentive to maintain enthusiasm. We wanted to work with people that had their own incentives and were self motivated to build their own service business using our systems and brands.Our mindset was not to have staff but a team of people that would help develop our business name. So we investigated the franchising system. We found that Australia is the second largest franchised nation outside of the United States. Some of the franchises in Australia are massive and they are the largest of their kind in the world. In the pet related industry for example there are already a number of large successfully franchised businesses. We knew we had a unique product that could be expanded successfully using this business model. To us franchising presented a better option than building the business based on employee growth because the desire to see the franchise succeed would already be present in a carefully selected franchisee. Combine that with our own obvious desires to grow our business successfully and you have a team of people wanting to make this work. What’s the catch? The laws that govern the franchising of a business are strict and are constantly being upgraded to protect both the franchisee and the franchisor. The process of developing you business into a franchise is slow and thorough and costly. The hurdles one needs to jump to franchise their business are not insurmountable but certainly present a physical and mental challenge. Those challenges come by way of developing standards, developing systems, having the capital to support growth, developing purchase options for your franchisees, drawing up your legal documents, complying to Franchising Code of Conduct and the Trade Practices Act, Fees associated with franchise mentoring through franchise consultants, developing products, branding your product , advertising your franchises, ongoing development costs, creating exit strategies, etc etc. One of the main concerns we had with franchising was the training of the franchisee. We knew it was not possible to train a franchisee to be an experienced dog trainer over a couple of weeks. But then we realized that it was not about experience but about the systems of delivery the franchisee must use to provide the service to the client. So we set about developing that system and over the course of 12 months developed a unique, system of delivery that gives the franchisee the ability to work with a client and their dog to achieve realistic and sustainable goals.  Of course the system must be taught and that course is a thorough and lengthy training program that the franchisee must go through prior to working with clients alone. The main point of difference with our system, is, it provides a method of genuine, solid and guaranteed training programs without the gimmicky hype techniques so often seen today. By developing our own particular franchise business based on proven methods and under guidance from experts that have been in the franchising industry for years we now have a model of delivery that ensures our clients can receive a standard of service that has become expected by our clients. The argument we hear coming from some dog training naysayer’s who have had many, many years experience in training dogs is that it is not possible to be a professional, ethical provider of a dog training service unless you have all those years of experience. They say we are only looking for a quick buck by selling off franchises.  However, as is detailed in previous paragraphs, the work that is needed to be completed before anyone can enter into the franchising world does not give us an option for a quick buck and a break-even point doesn’t even exist on this year’s calendar. The point is, if you have a well-defined and proven and effective system of training and it is delivered via a franchisee that has enthusiasm, a thirst for learning and an ability to interact with people you have an ethical product that works. Franchising suits our business……..

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Nearly 20 years ago, in Sydney, I put pen to paper and began to draft my letter that gave my views on the use of Security Dogs over Firearms. It was to be used as part of a tender submission being written at that time. The tender contract called for the provision of security services for the NSW Department of Education for the state schools. The security guards were to carry firearms.I believed it was ridiculous to allow security guards into a public school environment carrying firearms as protection against predominately school aged offenders.Some of the crimes committed in this school environment, such as arson, warranted severe penalties however the severity of the crime was not the issue. The issue, and primary reason for our submission, was this……if the security guard was to protect himself from threat what means of protection are available…..only the firearm. Three things can happen in the situation where a security guard finds himself alone against a direct and immediate threat  (1) The security guard controls the threat he calls for backup and no-one gets hurt. (2) The guard fires to protect himself and kills or injures the offender or (3) The guard is overpowered, the firearm is taken, and it used against him.These three scenarios would have a multitude of variables that would influence the outcome and are merely used here as examples.Lets compare those scenarios with the same security guard having a well trained security dog instead of a firearm…………………for instance…this security dog can stay and watch the offender while the handler searches the offender. If the offender tries to overpower the handler the dog will, without command, defend its handler by biting and holding (not killing) the offender. This gives the handler time to regain control of the situation. (can’t be done with a firearm)    The well trained security dog can detect the presence of an offender using it’s senses long before the offender realises the security handler/dog team is there. (a firearm cannot) The well trained security dog can defend the handler from multiple threat in a crowd control situation without causing injury. (a firearm cannot)These examples are just a few of the outweighing advantages of using a well trained security dog over a firearm.We were successful in securing the tender and fulfilled the contract without the use of firearms.

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 There are many people claiming to have 20 or 30 years experience in various work skills. This is true but sometimes it only applies to skills they learnt in the first few months of that first year of experience. Those skills have been reinforced over 20 years but they are still only the skills that were taught in the first year. This applies to any work skill and is not just directed at dog trainers. I  joined the RAAF Police Dog Mustering in 1986 over 20 years ago, I only stayed in for 6 years. It was a good experience but I did the same thing for 6 years. Just prior to “getting out” I bought into and helped develop two dog-based security companies that took me to a new experience level. It was different to Military life and certainly allowed me to upgrade my abilities in different areas, not only in dog training, but also business and life skills. I have been involved in the dog industry ever since and have many different experiences that add to my ability as a dog trainer as a whole. There exists, in many occupations, an “Over 20 years Experience in such and such Club”, whose members are constantly spouting of their long association with one business ability or skill and whose members defiantly barricade their ingrained skill set against any new knowledge claims that are obviously trying to undermine their well fortified beliefs. As a member of the “Over 20 years Experience in Dog Training Club” I see it as an absolutely essential task to keep informed about new and interesting dog related methods, products and events that are available. Implementing them if they help, discarding them if they don’t. Keeping my eyes open to improvement opportunities. So fellow members of the “Over 20 Years Clubs” have a look and see if you can improve what you are doing. Can you implement a new product or approach that will benefit you and your client and can you stop judging those that have had less opportunity for experience in years but may have more knowledge in a number of different areas.

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When we set about designing a training program for a client we take into account the clients goals the urgency of those goals and the training budget. When we relate those training programs to a working dog role there is immediate time constraint expected.

Let’s look at the roles of a working dog. They can be, for example, as varied as herding cattle or sheep, protecting a security guard or police officer, searching for lost people or detecting drugs explosives or even termites. Each of those areas of work requires the dog to be developed to a level of expertise that ensures they are working at an optimal, predictable level. Standing back and looking at a working dog/handler team it is easy to assume that the dog is a natural at the job and just seems to do it easily. The handler is along for the ride and is merely a director of the dog’s actions. However if the requirement for the dog to carry out the exercise is to do what comes naturally, then it follows that any dog, that can display natural ability, should be able to perform one of those roles.

Given a presumption of soundness, why then, do so many dogs fail the suitability test that precedes the commencement of a working dog program? Is it because the dog has no ability to be trained or is it because the dog doesn’t fit the preset time and money limits of the training program.

Many years ago I started training dog called “Gus” a German Shepherd male. He was owned by Sue who wanted him to be trained to protect her while she was on her daily walk. When I visited Sue and she introduced me to “Gus” I was met by a timid, shivering, urinating ball of fur in the backyard. He had an extreme fear of strangers and immediately ran to furthest corner of the yard to escape the perceived pressure my presence was placing on him. I didn’t push the greeting any further and went inside to discuss training options with Sue.
Fast forward twelve months and Sue and “Gus have just completed a demonstration of protection work in front of hundreds of strangers at a Pet Expo. He was confident reliable very skilled and safe. Sue was a competent handler and Gus enjoyed her company. He was approachable by strangers and showed none of the behaviour I saw on day one.
(Yes I have proof)

So what happened in the preceding twelve months that caused such a major change in Gus’s behaviour. The main component to the success of that change was time.

Sue was extremely committed to the success of the training and that allowed me to implement a training and development program that incrementally worked on Gus and his unnecessary behaviour. The process of change was slow. When we started working on Gus he was twelve months old. He had a well develop level of belief that how he reacted when I first met him was how he should react to ensure his survival. We set about deconstructing that belief. This was done under many different stimulus types and in varying environments. While we were doing that we also introduced a very basic but solid direction of obedience. This alone gave him an opportunity to develop some self confidence and as time went on the level of our obedience expectations from him grew and was matched by his own confidence level.

The point I am trying to make is, if enough time and correct leadership is allowed, desirable behaviours can be easily be developed. Conversely, given the same time but this time with incorrect leadership, undesirable behaviours can just as easily be developed.

Many professional dog trainers don’t set up their training programs to allow for differences in developed behaviours in their client’s dog/s. In fact many dog trainers push that dog to achieve goals aka make money and end up with a mutation of the undesirable behaviour which is then passed off as successful aggression training. If I only allowed three months to train Gus I would have failed dismally in my training goals.

Modern training programs should but don’t embrace long term behaviour change in the program. The dog is a part of the owner’s life for many years it makes sense to be patient with the training. To be anthropomorphic for a second, most parents don’t push their children to be perfect in a given behaviour too early in life. They realise that children have to grow steadily and will develop their individual behaviour and personality through slow and definite guidance accompanied by life experience.

Obviously, it makes sense in any business to start with a product that needs minimal improvement to achieve maximum retail profit. Look at used car salesmen. But I know from personal experience that much talent exists in dogs deemed unsuitable if I allow enough time for training and development.

The purists will say, “if they don’t have it, they don’t have it, and by starting with a dog of less than perfect abilities is to set the working dog/handler team up for failure.”

My comment on that is “that is true - if you are constricted by time and money”

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