Too Busy to Breathe, Let Alone Grow Your Dog Training Business?
Collette May 
Feeling overwhelmed running your dog training business? Here’s how to find clarity, calm and support and why a retreat might be exactly what you need.
You’re Not Lazy — You’re Overloaded
So, let’s just get this straight from the get-go: you are not lazy, unmotivated, or “bad at business.” You’re just... exhausted. Like, properly run-ragged, mind-whirring, haven’t-had-a-minute-to-yourself-in-weeks kind of tired. And if you’re anything like most of the dog trainers I know (and love), you’re trying to juggle everything — client sessions, writing up notes, planning your classes, answering DMs, replying to emails at 10pm, maybe even trying to keep up with social media. And somewhere in the back of your mind, you know you should be “working on the business,” but honestly? You can barely work out what’s for dinner.
The truth is, you got into this because you love dogs — and helping people build better lives with their dogs — not because you wanted to become a full-time admin assistant, content creator, or marketing expert. But here you are. Spinning all the plates, wearing all the hats, and wondering if everyone else has some secret system you missed.
This blog is for you if you’re feeling stuck in that loop — always busy, always behind, and never really getting to the stuff that would actually move your business forward. We’re going to talk about why that happens, what you can do about it, and how giving yourself a bit of breathing room might just be the most powerful business decision you make this year.
The Business You Love… Is Eating You Alive
You know what’s weird? You chose this work. You built your dog training business from scratch, poured your heart into it, maybe even left a more “stable” job to do something that actually lights you up — and yet here you are, quietly wondering if it’s meant to feel this hard.
Because lately, it’s felt like you’re stuck in a never-ending loop: sessions during the day, admin at night, squeezed between trying to feed yourself, look after your own dogs, and keep your inbox from becoming a black hole. And then you lie in bed, wide awake, thinking about that one client you forgot to reply to, or the fact you haven’t posted anything on Instagram in two weeks, or how you really should have started planning that next set of classes.
It’s relentless, isn’t it?
And the hardest bit? You still care. Deeply. You’re not phoning it in. You’re showing up every day, trying your best, giving everything you’ve got — which makes the guilt worse when you feel like you’re not doing enough. You want to grow, but you’re clinging on just trying to get through the week. You keep thinking, if I can just get through this next month, then maybe I’ll have time to breathe.
Spoiler: that magical “breathing space” never appears on its own. You have to make it — and I know, that feels impossible right now.
But let’s just pause here for a second and say this:
It’s OK to admit you’re struggling.
Not because you’re failing, but because running a dog training business — especially
on your own — is a lot. No one tells you how much of your time will be spent doing everything but the thing you love. And when you’re constantly in reactive mode, there’s no energy left to step back and ask, “Hang on — is this working for me?”
So if you’re feeling stretched to the point of snapping, you’re not broken. You’re just burnt out.
Marketing Isn’t Just Overwhelming — It’s a Full-Time Job
So… let’s talk about the thing no one warned you about when you decided to become a dog trainer: how much of your time would be spent trying to fill your diary.
You thought you were signing up to help dogs and their humans, right? But now you’re knee-deep in content calendars, social media algorithms, Canva templates, writing captions, wondering if you should try Reels (again), and feeling that gnawing anxiety when the bookings don’t come in as quickly as you'd hoped.
It’s not that you don’t want to market your business. It’s just that when you’re already stretched thin delivering sessions and doing all the admin, marketing feels like this giant, looming beast that you should be dealing with, but don’t have the headspace to face.
And all the advice out there? “Just batch your content!” “Be consistent!” “Post every day!”
Yeah, okay — but what if you’re so mentally fried you can’t even finish your own sentence, let alone write a helpful Instagram post? What if opening Canva makes you want to throw your laptop out the window? What if the thought of showing up again — cheerful and informative and on-brand — feels like too much?
Here’s the thing: it’s not you.
You’re not bad at marketing.
You’re just trying to do it on top of everything else. Marketing is a job in itself, and most dog trainers are doing it solo, without a strategy, a plan, or anyone to bounce ideas off. No wonder it feels overwhelming.
One tiny shift you can make today?
Pick one platform. Just one. Let the rest go — for now. Pour your energy into showing up consistently there, even if it’s just once a week. Give yourself permission to not do it all — because trying to do everything is probably what’s making you want to give up.
And if marketing has felt more like a mountain than a to-do list lately, you’re not alone. You don’t need more pressure — you need a plan, and probably a bit of breathing space to create one that actually works for you.
You Don’t Need Another Course — You Need Breathing Space
Here’s a wild thought: maybe the problem isn’t that you don’t know how to grow your business — maybe it’s that you’re so mentally cluttered, you can’t even hear your own thoughts long enough to figure out what’s next.
Because let’s be honest — you’ve probably already taken a course or two (or five). You’ve downloaded the freebies, signed up for the webinars, maybe even bought that marketing template bundle that promised to fix everything. But the truth is, none of it works if you’re too overwhelmed to use it.
You don’t need more information.
You need space.
The kind of space that doesn’t exist between client calls and late-night admin.
The kind of space where you can sit down, breathe, and ask, “What do I actually want from this business?”
Because right now, your brain is so full of to-dos and should-dos and “I meant to do that last week”s that there’s no room for clarity. No room for creativity. No room for you.
And what I’ve learned — not just from my own experience, but from so many trainers I’ve worked with — is that you can’t untangle the mess from inside the mess. You need to step outside of it, even just for a little while, to see what’s really going on.
That’s where the magic happens.
Not in another downloadable PDF.
Not in another frantic Sunday-night planning session.
But in time away, in conversation, in community, in quiet.
Because sometimes, the most powerful thing you can do for your business isn’t to push harder — it’s to pause.
What If You Had Three Days to Just Focus — With Support?
Imagine this: no clients for a few days, no late-night emails, no frantic “I need to post something!” scrolling through your camera roll — just space. Actual, uninterrupted space to breathe, think, and work on your business without the usual noise.
That’s exactly why I created the Dog Trainer Business Retreat.
From 1st–3rd August 2025, we’ll be gathering at Mid Wales Holidays, a beautiful little smallholding tucked away in the countryside, complete with cosy on-site accommodation and the kind of peace and quiet you’ve probably been craving for months.
This isn’t another busy, back-to-back conference where you leave with a headache and a to-do list longer than when you arrived. This is about slowing down enough to reset. To think clearly about where your business is going. To finally get to grips with the marketing stuff — but in a way that feels structured, spacious, and totally doable.
There’ll be practical strategy sessions (no jargon, I promise), time to reflect, shared meals, chats over coffee, and the kind of connection that only happens when you're in a room full of people who truly get what it’s like to walk in your shoes.
You’ll leave with:
- A clear plan for your business
- Real, realistic marketing strategies that fit your lifestyle
- A support network of fellow dog trainers who are rooting for you
- And maybe (just maybe) a little spark of excitement about your business again
Because sometimes, stepping away is the first step forward.
Ready to reset and reconnect with your business — and yourself?
Book your place on the Dog Trainer Business Retreat today — spaces are limited, and I’d love to have you with us.
It’s Not Just You — and You Don’t Have to Do It Alone
If you’ve been nodding along through this blog, quietly thinking, “yep, that’s me” — just know this: you’re not the only one feeling this way. So many brilliant, passionate dog trainers are out there trying to do everything themselves, wondering why they feel so stuck, so overwhelmed, so worn down.
You’re not behind. You’re not failing.
You’re just human — and you’ve been doing this on your own for too long.
The Dog Trainer Business Retreat isn’t about fixing you. It’s about giving you the space, support, and structure you need to feel in control again. To make plans that actually feel good. To remind yourself why you started — and where you want to go next.
So, if you’re craving a breather, a breakthrough, or just some damn good company — come join us.
1st–3rd August 2025
Mid Wales Holidays – tranquil, cosy, and full of fresh perspective
Because your business deserves your full attention. And so do you.
Book your spot now — and give yourself the reset you’ve been waiting for.