Hatz Off Dog Training was launched in January 2024 by Harriet Lawrence, a trainer with years of hands-on experience working with dogs and supporting their owners. Harriet is based in Brewood and works within a ten mile radius, offering personalised training that fits each dog and each household. Her focus is simple. Every dog is different and owners need to understand the why and the how behind their dog’s behaviour so they feel confident for years to come.
Harriet has always had a passion for dogs. During lockdown she decided it was time to take training full time. She then spent three years in Wales as a full time employed trainer, working with hundreds of dogs and delivering training courses. While the work was rewarding, she realised that many owners were not fully grasping the method behind what they were being shown. This pushed her to start her own business, built around clear explanations, long term understanding and training that connects owners and dogs properly.
Every improvement she sees in a dog or their household feels like a high point. Harriet says the feedback she receives from owners about how training has changed their daily life keeps her motivated and gives her a strong sense of purpose.
There have not been major setbacks, but she has had to learn how to manage the business side of things and develop new ideas. One challenge has been waiting for her house move which is needed for her to expand into day care and boarding. Now that the move is finally happening, she feels ready to push forward without any delays.
Harriet’s five year vision is clear. She wants to be running full day care and boarding alongside her one to one training, helping as many households as she can and building Hatz Off into a trusted local service for dog owners.
Harriet joined the Start Up South Staffordshire programme to build confidence in the business side of her work. The support from Good2Great helped her understand how to approach planning, growth and the practical details involved in running a business built on personalised service.
Her experience of the programme is summed up in her own words:
“I started with my passion for dogs, and now I have a passion for business alongside it. I never thought about how much I would learn from Good2Great, but they have given me more personalised knowledge and support for my individual business.”
If you want to take your dog to the next stage of training or learn more about Harriet’s work, you can connect with her through Hatz Off Dog Training on Facebook and Instagram.
If you are thinking about starting a business in South Staffordshire, you can explore the Start Up South Staffordshire programme delivered by Good2Great. It provides practical training, mentoring and guidance for anyone taking their first steps into self employment.
