An entrepreneur from Abergavenny, who left a lucrative sales career to start her own dog-training business, is expanding into mid Wales to meet the increased demand for her services.
Tracey Prall, 42, had been walking dogs as a side-line to her career for around two years, but became burnt out with sales targets and decided to make dogs her full time career, setting up Canine Connections in January 2013.
After receiving support from the Welsh Government’s Business Start up Service, she has had a successful six months and is now planning to expand her services into Powys.
Ms Prall, 42, explains: “After ten years working in field sales I felt burnt out by the constant travelling and need to hit targets”.
“I have always been a dog lover and had walked dogs as a side line for a number of years. I decided to try and turn my passion into a career, gained my dog training qualifications and set up Canine Connections.”
After gaining her National Dog Training Instructors Certificate from the Cambridge Institute of Dog Behaviour and Training, Ms Prall contacted the Welsh Government Business Start up Service, and was put in touch with the Centre for Business, for help taking her business forward.
She undertook a series of Welsh Government funded workshops, during which she learnt key skills needed to run small business such as finance management, and was paired with a dedicated business advisor who provided dedicated support.
Ms Prall said: “A friend recommended I contact Welsh Government, and received support through Centre for Business who deliver the service on behalf of Welsh Government. The one-to-one support I received was invaluable and really helped to cement my ideas into a solid business plan and gave me the direction I needed.”
“I now have regular clients across Monmouthshire and run popular group classes, and have decided that the time is right to expand my reach. I know through my contacts that there is a need for a professional dog training service across Powys, and eventually I would like to be able to offer classes wherever there is a demand.
“I really enjoy the job and my whole ethos is about the dog and owner having fun while learning together.”
Ms Prall has recently added a number of other services to her portfolio, including dog handling classes for children which she runs in the school holidays, and is planning to offer talks to schools on how children can be safe around dogs.
She is also in the process of applying for her own dog to become a PATS (Pets as Therapy) dog that will see her visit hospitals and residential homes as a form of rehabilitation, and has even qualified as a pet bereavement councillor to offer other animal lovers support in coming to terms with the loss of a much loved pet.
She said: “The loss of a pet can be extremely distressing for adults, families and especially for children as it can often be their first experience of dealing with bereavement. I wanted to help people through this difficult time and offer them confidential advice and support from one animal lover to another.”