Today we’d like to introduce you to Mariano Alvarez.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Mariano. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I started working at a kennel years ago and fell in love with it. I was fascinated by what it took to train and rehab dogs with serious aggression issues. The kinds of issues that would lead dogs to come to us after having been kicked out of other training facilities. As I progressed in my abilities as a trainer, I began to notice trends of behaviors among trainers that would often lead to an unsuccessful training program. While most of them did good work hands-on with the dogs themselves, many of them seemed to lack the communication skills needed to paint the appropriate picture for owners to understand what was happening, and so what they all must do to help their dogs. As my training acumen grew, I also went to school to help polish my natural aptitudes for communication and presentation.
I use Ted Talks as inspiration. It’s not enough to know the material. True substantial success in a field as variant and contradictory as this one requires its leaders to be well-versed trainers, as well as talented presenters. Though my job title is Dog Trainer, 90% of the job is owner training. Highly effective trainers understand a few things regardless of one’s position on how training should be done.
Safety is always priority #1. Getting the owner to understand the situation offers the best chance that they’ll continue to work with the dog after training. There are millions of dogs deemed “untrainable” because of a history of aggression or other issues. It is, therefore, our job as trainers to do the absolute best work we can with no time to waste. Proven efficacy is the name of the game. I suppose this is true of any field. He who gets it done best shall achieve much.
So, this ideology brings me to present day. I moved to Los Angeles from Central CA, mid-December to start the new year with full steam ahead. I moved the day after my last day of work, which was the day of my last college final. I’ve lived here for almost 9 months now trying to stay as busy and motivated as possible. Of course, moving offers challenges of its own. As does trying your hand at starting a business in a field where reputable Titans of training already exist. Especially when no one in your immediate family ever went to college nor have they held businesses of their own. Nonetheless, my attitude has been, “Some have done it, so I can too”. I must admit though, that it’s not a great feeling to think of yourself as small potatoes. The task of reaching notability is a daunting one as it is.
These months have been a blur of work, learning, and adapting. It’s a funny mental clash between feeling like I’m making important steps for a better future while having to move back into my mother’s home while I get settled. A crowded house can feel pretty lonely when no one understands business enough to offer any advice or emotional support. I had to seek this elsewhere which is exactly what I did. Countless books, Ted talks, and small business seminars keep my willingness to chance my vision against the possibility of failure. It’s like betting on myself which is surprisingly scary. But all high achievers do it so here goes nothin’. Today I’m training, blogging, and podcasting to keep me sharp and help me reach people by offering helpful information. I’m still working on learning all of the ins and outs of finances, marketing strategy, even tax preparation as a business owner. These things are time-consuming and stressful but it’s my duty to get it done while training dogs do the best of my ability. My eyes are set firmly in the future and the possibilities held therein.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It’s been a bumpy road but this was to be expected. The three biggest challenges have been more related to moving and business itself than just dog training. Obstacle #1 Moving to LA was stressful. I left my home Dec 15th because I wanted to get going before the Holidays. I honestly couldn’t say why I felt such a rush to go right away, but I’m pretty sure it was just my impulsive nature. I left feeling awesome, then quickly wished I had spent the Holidays with my friends and not glued to my laptop searching for anyone in need of training. Having to move back into a parent’s home is no fun, the Holidays make it 10 times worse. It’s busy and hectic, crowded with visitors, there’s no space for my stuff so it’s getting damaged and misplaced. Then I crashed my motorcycle and had no means of transportation. I felt like I had made a terrible mistake and wanted to go home.
I stayed. I would ride the metro and buses to get to clients. I didn’t have many at first which was good since it took hours to get anywhere that would have taken minutes in a car. I hated being crowded and stopping every couple of minutes but I felt guilty for being complacent when so many other people did it too. I would try to search for a car at night when I’d make it home. Once I saved enough for a car, things took a drastic upturn.
My only other major challenge has been self-inflicted. I suppose an argument can be made for all of them being brought on my me. It was my training program. I was afraid of marketing with competitive rates so I sold short. I was afraid that owners wouldn’t want to take my advice so I had a hard time teaching them the way I knew I could. When you’re working for a kennel, you have the backing of that kennel. When you’re working independently as some 24-year-old with little reputation behind you, there’s a fear that people won’t believe what you are trying to teach them. This leads owners to undermine their dog’s issues or the importance of consistency when working with their dogs. This was my fault.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Happy Pups Training story. Tell us more about the business.
What I do is simple. I offer advanced off-leash training as well as aggression rehabilitation. I’m known for being a good communicator. I’m known for training dogs that others could not, a couple times, even retraining dogs that some very well-known celebrity trainers couldn’t help. I did this by teaching the owners the true importance of their guidance and influence on the dog’s behavior. As a company, I’m most proud of the unique take on training I’ve adapted and how well it’s done so far. What sets me apart is my ability and willingness to communicate the intricacies and nuances of training to a higher degree than most. The secret of training is that there are no secrets to training, we’re here to teach so I try my best to do exactly that however I can.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I don’t much believe in luck. I’ve definitely had my close calls in life, but I choose to accept my successes and failures as consequences for actions. Maybe it wasn’t always my action that yielded consequence for me. Then again, maybe my action benefits me while proving detrimental to someone else. Everything’s a tradeoff. It’s our job to take actions that best benefit the world as a whole.
Pricing:
- Private In Home Lessons are sold in packages of 4 or 6 for $500 or $700 respectively.
- Board and Train Programs are either two, three, or four weeks depending on the dog’s and owner’s situations. $1,300, $1,800, and $2,200 respectively.
- I’d like to begin offering group classes just as soon as business demand makes this possible. When I do, pricing would be roughly $300 for 4 classes and $450 for 6.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.happypupstraining.net
- Phone: 323-438-2255
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/happypupstraining
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Happypupstraining
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/Happy_Pups1
- Other: https://www.spreaker.com/user/happypupstraining
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