Today we’d like to introduce you to William Attra.
William, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
When our son was born, I was working in the hospitality industry. The demands of the job made me consider a change. I dreamt of finding a fulfilling career that could offer us a balanced family life.
Always the dog lover, I decided to quit the hospitality industry and take a job at a kennel. There, I learned everything about caring for dogs and how to run a successful kennel business. During that time, I realized that many rescue dogs at the kennel showed signs of stress. Their most traumatic moments appeared to be because of the high-energy environment at the kennel and the fact that they were spending most of their time in crates. The training techniques were not always compatible. Dogs, like humans, each need a different approach and a learning style to match their different and unique personalities.
Meanwhile, I began volunteering at the Houston Humane Society and shadowed dog trainers working with abandoned dogs that suffered from PTSD due to their past. I was asked by the trainer to assist with dog rehabilitation as she noticed all the dogs responded very well to me. I was a natural and had an organic relationship with the dogs.
After a couple of years, I decided it was time to start DOGMAN Training. I began training rescue dogs, and learning on the spot. Following my instincts, I learned that the best way to connect with them was to base their training on the principles of trust, respect, and love. To further my knowledge, I reached out to like-minded dog behaviorists to train with them.
There is a huge need in the rescue community for tailored training and these dogs require a gentle approach. Most rescue dogs express their trauma once they are placed with a loving family.
Word of mouth has been the main driving force in the growth of our business; a fact of which we are very proud. Every client, dog, and vendor become part of our DOGMAN family.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Surprisingly, yes! Soon after I started the business, I asked my wife of 20 years, Nancy to join me. Between the two of us, we have different strengths and make a great team. Any business starting from scratch has growing pains and ours was no different, but even though we work hard, we love what we do. We have been blessed with amazing clients who believe in us and our ideology. Their support allows us to focus on serving rescues and special needs dogs. Our business has grown, and as it grows even further, we keep adding more services, offering convenience to our clients.
DOGMAN Training – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
DOGMAN Training offers gentle and tailored training, mainly to rescues and special needs dogs. Unlike dog obedience training, which teaches dogs to perform a specific action when requested, we use gentle behavior modification that aims to change a dog’s reactions to various situations, including people, other animals, and various triggers. Behavior problems in rescue dogs are often misunderstood and are caused by many factors. Dogs, like people, react to stress levels, lack of stimulation, and the absence of a leader.
Many things set DOGMAN Training apart from others in Houston, and these differences make us proud of our dog training business.
First, we are a family-owned business, offering a personal touch. Nancy runs the administration, while I handle all client calls, training, and behavioral consultations.
Since most special needs and rescued dogs have usually suffered abuse and trauma, we meet them at their home, the environment in which they feel safest. We teach them to trust humans again. As our dog clients age, we also provide a safe environment that accommodates their disabilities and health issues.
An integral part of our training philosophy is to include the whole family. Each session is divided into two parts: training the dog, then teaching the concepts to the family, allowing the dog to experience consistency and trust in their owner. The human family becomes the alpha, and even during training, they are taught to assume this role. Our training method is based on a gentle approach and only includes positive affirmations.
Lastly, at DOGMAN Training, we are committed to supporting the causes that make our city a great place to live. In 2019, we donated over $12,000 to several non-profits in the Houston community.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
In 2019, DOGMAN Training was selected to participate in the Goldman Sachs 10,000 businesses program. Besides being honored to participate, it was an invaluable learning experience, and we met exceptional business owners with whom we continue to collaborate.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.dogmantraining.com
- Phone: 713-444-8298
- Email: admin@dogmantraining.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dogmantraining/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dogmantraining
Image Credit:
Robyn Arouty photography.
Janice Yeager photography.
Staff.
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