Meet Ana Dahl | Certified Dog Trainer & Service Dog Coach

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

Hi Ana, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking.
I make a pointed effort to think about risk as a positive and not a negative. I have this mug that says “What would you do if you knew you could not fail?”I like this idea that success could be just around the corner. You could own your own business, you can be great at what you do, you can help support a whole community of people. I know where my passions lie- in helping people, in understanding behavior in our dogs, in creative thinking, and in art. By taking a risk I can put all of these together to find fulfillment and offer my best self to the people around me.

What should our readers know about your business?
My business is dogs. I started this journey about 12 years ago when I was working as a veterinary technician in NYC and taking clients on from the clinic who needed help with their dogs behavior problems. Since then I have moved to Colorado, transitioned from part time training to full time, and opened by own business as a certified dog trainer. There have been challenges along the way of course. When I first opened my business I was very busy- seeing 5-6 clients and their dogs a day for private in-home training. I had just received my first diagnosis as an adult with ADHD and had a lot to prove. That first year was amazing, I was motivated and excited and everything was going very well. THe following year I received another diagnosis- as bi-polar. This was a far harder thing to come to terms with. I am still adjusting to what this means for me but have had support from a wonderful counselor who has helped me stabilize my mood and offered emotional support through a confusing time. I am a pretty independent person and asking for help is a constant exercise in skill building but if you open a business you can not do it alone! I learned this first through counseling and again through networking. I have 2 close new friends who have joined me in my efforts to grow my business and I thiers. I would so recommend finding these types of connections. My networking friends keep me motivated and excited. We have fun brunches that start with mimosas and end in brainstorming how to find and help more clients. I have been training dogs now for a long time and I have always found connecting with the people around me to be as fulfilling as my work. My advice to anyone opening their own business is to find the people that help you grow- be that clients or business partners and make sure they know they are appreciated.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Hmm this is a hard one- there are so many amazing places in Northern Colorado. I would probably take them out for Brunch at Lucilles, then we could go to Sylvandale for a mountain trailride. We would go to Downtown Fort Collins and browse the shops, then stop at Bistro Nautille for the best mussels in town. I would finish our evening at Elliots Martini Bar. Other awsome places I love are found in Denver, just an hour drive from my house- the Denver Botanical gardens, the Denver Zoo, and the Alamo Drafthouse for dinner and a movie. I love visiting places I can take my dogs with me such as Odell’s Brewery – the patio there on a summer day is just dreamy, and Ginger and baker where you can order breakfast and then order again for your dog!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I dedicate my success to Brene Brown who’s series on vulnerability is a constant inspiration.

Website: https://dahldogtraining.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dahl.dog.training/

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