We had the good fortune of connecting with Raegan Baer and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Raegan, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
It was honestly very organic and something that wasn’t preplanned. During Covid, I quit my job and ended up signing up for Rover to walk dogs. I was making money but knew at some point, I’d have to get a “real” job. While walking dogs, I began teaching them how to walk nicely on leash so that it would make my days easier. Eventually, the parents began to notice a positive change in their dogs and this led to some of them asking me to teach them what I was doing. This is when I realized that my knowledge of dogs was not common knowledge like I had thought, I had a talent and I could use it to help people and their dogs live easier lives. A few months later, Canine Composure was born!

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
In short, I’m a dog trainer. Longer version, my job is to help people find the joy of dog ownership again. I focus heavily on the mindset of the dog and the relationship between my clients and their dogs. I’m most proud of the structure of my programs. I don’t do board and trains and I don’t have a facility. Instead, I have a cute little cargo full that has been set up for dogs. I pickup the dogs each morning (just like a school bus!) and take the dogs all around the city to train. We train at parks, stores, downtown, etc. Then each afternoon, they go back home to their parents. I love this setup because the dogs get to be home each day and they also get training in the real world versus in a facility. I got here by need. I had zero plans to by a van. I used to go to clients houses for an hour each day and I realized that the dogs needed a bit more than just an hour a day. I began playing around with the idea of day trains and after talking with some other trainers in the industry as well as my marketing team, we ended up on the van idea. It was only easy because I didn’t have time to sit and think about it for too long. I had a full calendar and dogs that needed more training so the time between the initial van idea to actually having a van was 2 months. Running a business on the other hand has not been easy for me. I tend to get caught up in the day to day and I have to regularly remind myself that I’m a business owner first and a dog trainer second. It’s been a difficult road and there was a time last year where I thought I would have to get a second job but we got through it. I’m thankful for that moment though because it was a wakeup call that I need to take the business side of things of more seriously. It’s a daily decision but I’m getting better at it. I’m a great dog trainer and the way I train is unique to the Charlotte area. Not only the day trains in the van, but also my style of training. I prioritize building a calm mindset for the dog and a relationship built on trust and communication between dog and owner. Obedience comes after that. My clients end up learning so much about their dogs that goes beyond sit and stay. I’m proud that I get to share that knowledge with people on a daily basis.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Sunday-We’d go for a walk to Waterbean coffee. There’s one right outside our neighborhood and it’s a great way to spend a lazy weekend morning.
Monday- Freedom Park followed by lunch at Bad Daddys. One of my favorite parks in the city. I’m there almost everyday with client dogs. It’s a beautiful park with lots of space.
Tuesday- The White Water Center. Great trails, lots of fun events during the summer. We go to the free concerts almost every week during the Summer. Good food and beer. Plus, the dogs can go!
Wednesday- South End for some food and brewery hopping. So many good food options down there like Chapter 6, Cheats, Hawkers, and The Salted Melon. The breweries are also great social spots. My personal favorite is Wooden Robot. All of there beers are Gluten Reduced so I can actually drink them!
Thursday- Dot Dot Dot speakeasy. One of my husband and I’s favorite places to go for a cocktail. We love the atmosphere and the drinks. Food is also always delicious.
Friday-Substrate and Optimist Hall after a day of paddleboarding at the lake with the dogs. We love the variety of options at Optimist Hall, there’s something for everyone. Substrate is a unique wine and vermouth bar that has things that you can’t really get at other more mainstream places.
Saturday- Take the dogs to The Bowl in Ballentyne for a nice walk and outside time. Then head over to OMB for some drinks and then dinner at Postino. Their Bruschetta boards are delicious and can be fully gluten free!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
100% my parents and my husband. My parents have been encouraging my entire life. They have supported my ideas and have always been a sounding board for me. I was always encouraged to pick a career based off of passion vs money and I don’t know if I would have had the confidence to pursue working with animals if it hadn’t of been for how I was raised and supported throughout my life. My husband has also been a wonderful support for me. Running a business is so much harder than I could have imagined and there are some days where the stress and anxiety is high. My husband keeps me grounded and has always been a calm presence in the midst of chaos. He’s my perfect compliment. I’ve also gotten amazing knowledge and support from many other trainers in the industry -Samantha at PackLifeLA being the one who I’ve learned the most from. The industry can be very judgmental but having a few women who I can go to with questions has been a life saver for me. And finally, Will at Haydn Digital Marketing and his entire team have really helped me grow in confidence when it comes to the business side of things. I still have a ways to go but having them to lean on for questions and ideas has always been helpful!

Website: https://www.caninecomposure.com

Instagram: Caninecomposurellc

Image Credits
Will Aching, Cody Smith, Jordan Steady

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