Meet Erin Gianella | Dog Trainer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Erin Gianella and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Erin, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I worked at a job for a long time that was not the right fit for me! I was working long days, 7 days a week, was unhappy with what I was doing, felt like I couldn’t do anything right and was working with people who weren’t working as a team. When I finally left, I really did some soul searching on what I wanted to do that could bring me joy and give me the freedom to have my own schedule. That’s when I decided to start my own dog training business! I can set my own boundaries, work with clients and dogs that make me happy and help people with their dogs everyday! It’s super hard sometimes; learning different things about running a business I never thought I’d have to do. But it’s so worth it because I feel so empowered to be able to figure things out and do things all on my own! I LOVE what I do now and don’t feel overworked.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Perfect Pals Dog Training is a positive reinforcement dog training business located in the Denver, CO area. For anyone who has ever had a dog and worked with a trainer, you know that there are lots of trainers out there to choose from. But what makes us different? Well, anyone can call themselves a dog trainer but I chose to go out and get the education, certifications and learn the science and behavior behind training. I am certified by the highly distinguished training school, The Karen Pryor Academy.

Perfect Pals uses force free, science-based training methods through marker training and rewards-based techniques that are free from force, pain and intimidation. I believe that no breed needs a heavy hand and all dogs can be trained using a non-aversive approach!

It definitely has been a journey to get here…not that I thought it would be easy but there are so many things I didn’t know how to do when I first started. Things like permits, business licenses, marketing and so much more. As a sole business owner, your really have to wear a lot of different hats and be good about going and figuring things out on your own. It’s tough but also super rewarding when you do figure something out!

I’ve learned to ask for help when I need it. There’s no way one person can do everything on their own. Also, putting money and time into a good marketing coach if you don’t have that experience and need the help. You can be great at what you do but if you don’t know how to market yourself, then things can be a lot more difficult. I’ve learned to be confident, bold and rely on what I know to make the right decisions that are best for my business and myself.
And therapy,…Therapy helps a lot haha to talk it out and learn how to manage all the stressful, emotional things!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Love this question! Some of my favorite things to do are to explore new place, go out to good restaurants and breweries and just relax! One of the best parts about Denver is that with just a short drive, you can get to the mountains, different small cities and great hikes!

Some of my favorite things to do and go to with friends in town:

-Spending time in Denver going to a Rockies game! One of my favorite baseball stadiums with great views of the mountains! MacGregor Square near the stadium has a fun outdoor area with great food and drinks! I always take my friends to the Edgewater Beergarden and the Edgewater Public Market! After a good hike there are hundreds of breweries to head to in Denver and most are dog friendly so I can always bring the dogs

-A day in Golden, CO doing the Coors tour, walking or biking beside the river, going to New Terrain and The Golden Mill. Great dog friendly places, views of the mountains and a laid back vibe!

-Red rocks-For a hike and/or a concert! The best of the best shows here! Then hanging out in the cutest little town where Red Rocks is in Morrison, Co.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
When I went through my dog training certification program at the Karen Pryor Academy, it was a super intensive program AND it was during COVID. So, we ended up having to do the entire program virtually. It was definitely an adjustment and a learning curve for everyone; we really had to depend on each other. I became really close with 3 other people in the program and we still talk every day today. We talk about everything ranging from how to handle certain dog training cases, how we navigate different business decisions, work-life balance and our personal lives. They truly keep me sane and I definitely could not be where I am today in my business or personal life without them!!

They are Mariah Klein, Camille and Constantine Chatzivoulgaris

Website: https://www.perfectpalsdogtraining.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/perfectpals_dogtraining/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/perfectpalsdogtraining/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/perfectpalsdogtraining

Image Credits
Amanda Engle Photography