Growing the Business and Training the Clients at the Same Time!
Paw & Order Dog Training was established in 2013 in Pittsburgh by Elissa Weimer-Sentner. She served as a Combat Military Police Officer from 2007 to 2014. After graduating at the top of her class from California University of Pennsylvania, Elissa completed a highly selective Professional Dog Training Program as an outstanding graduate in 2012 and began her career as a professional dog trainer. In 2014, Steve Sentner hired Elissa to train his Shiba Inu, who was showing signs of aggression as a 6-month-old puppy. He would turn out to be more than just a client; the two started dating after their training was completed and they got married in 2015. In 2016, Elissa chose to change her business name to Paw & Order, at which time, Steve retired from his corporate career to manage all marketing and business operations.
Services offered by Paw & Order include: In-Home Dog Training; Board and Train program; One/One Virtual Dog Training; Canine Good Citizen; Adventures; Therapy Dogs.
Of particular interest is their volunteer work with the Washington County Human Society, which is trying to reduce return rates of adaptions. The Dog training work they have done with Rescues along with determination of best fit owners for these rescues has driven down the return rates to an amazing 4%! They were featured on KDKA news in April in their “On a Positive Note” news segment by Anchor Kym Gable showcasing the work they have done with this Humane Society.
https://www.cbsnews.com/pittsburgh/news/paw-and-order-dog-training-dogs-forever-homes/
The work the SBDC has done helping Paw & Order with Business analysis, long term planning, and critical connections will help them sustain and grow their business going into the future.
Impact and Results:
- Providing support for an overcrowded situation of abandoned dogs to ensure they find homes and care moving forward
- Focused on Strategic Planning to ensure initiatives/actions being implemented that meet the needs of the business long term
- Followed a 9-step methodical process developed by SBDC that considers all key elements of a strategic plan including establishment of a clear mission and vision statement to frame the context of the process
- Inclusion of all Paw & Order employees as stakeholders in the process
- Identification of Business Growth opportunities to triple sales over 5-year time frame.
Summary: The Duquesne SBDC is proud to support a great organization doing such fine work for such a worthy cause.