Attending Starmark Academy was the single best decision of my life. The 12 Week Program gave me the confidence and the knowledge to begin my career as a dog trainer. Throughout the 3 month course the instructors were always there to assist in the classroom and training center. I also appreciated the difficulty of the program as it prepared students for the real world of dog training. Class was from 8am-5:30pm and was a healthy mix of classroom learning and hands on, practical learning. Learning never stopped at 5:30pm though. Myself and many of my classmates would put in hours of studying and training after class and on weekends. There were some weeks where we had several written and practical exams in the same week. The workload helped us prepare for the reality of the lifestyle we were choosing. It was extremely difficult at times, but it was one of the best experiences of my life. The program forced me to step outside of my comfort zone and to work harder than I ever had before.
After graduation I was lucky enough to land an internship with the Academy. My internship was 3 months long, but 2 months in I was hired by Starmark’s Training Department. I worked as a trainer from November 2016 to March 2018 and was able to train 300+ dogs. This opportunity was incredible as it gave me the chance to build up my experience with both obedience training and behavior modification. Working as a trainer at Starmark Animal Behavior Center gave me the confidence to start my own company.
I started Priority Canine Training, LLC in March 2018 with 1 dog and 1 client. Today I have 130+ clients and have made more money than I could ever imagine making at 25. Since March 2018, I have been renting a commercial/office space for the business. It’s been wonderful, but we are on the lookout for something more permanent. In the next 6 months I will be purchasing property and building a barndominium with the hopes that we will be fully operational in our own space by January 2021! This journey has been incredible and I can’t wait to see where Priority Canine Training, LLC is in another 2 years. It’s been a wild ride and it all started at Starmark Academy!
–Connor Brown- Priority Canine Training LLC.