The Sustainability Shift – Building Client Habits That Stick Long After the Last Lesson

As dog training professionals, we are experts at modifying animal behavior, but our success is ultimately dictated by human behavior. If a training plan is too complex, time-consuming, or physically demanding, even the most well-meaning owners will eventually stop practicing.

This webinar moves beyond “how to train the dog” and dives deep into the psychology of client compliance. You will learn how to audit your current curriculum to reduce “cognitive load” and how to design training plans that fit into a modern, busy lifestyle. We will explore the principles of behavioral economics—like “friction” and “nudging”—to help you create environments where the right choice is the easiest choice for your clients.

Stop being just a “service provider” and become a Sustainability Coach. Join us to learn how to build training programs that survive the “real world” of work, kids, and rainy Mondays.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this session, attendees will be able to:

• Identify the “Friction Points”: Pinpoint the specific moments in a client’s daily routine where training usually fails and learn how to bypass them.
• Apply the MVP (Minimum Viable Practice) Model: Audit your existing curriculum to focus on the 20% of behaviors that provide 80% of the lifestyle results for the client.
• Implement “Micro-Training” Strategies: Coach clients on how to integrate training into 30-second “life moments” rather than relying on formal, 30-minute sessions.
• Design Frictionless Environments: Advise clients on how to set up their homes using “Nudge Theory” to make practicing habits automatic.
• Construct a “Relapse Plan”: Create a communication framework that helps clients normalize setbacks and get back on track without feeling like failures.
• Transition to Maintenance Support: Structure service packages that move away from “graduation” and toward long-term behavioral sustainability.

Your Presenters- Niki Tudge

Niki Tudge – M.B.A, PCBC-A, CABC, CDBC SSA-CFT, Six Sigma Black Belt, HCITB TS1, TS2 & TS3 Certified People Trainer, Certified Facilitator and Business Project Manager.

DogNostics and the certification program ClientNostics were founded by Niki Tudge, a Certified Dog Trainer and Behavior Consultant with extensive experience in corporate roles. Along with Niki’s business degree and MBA from Oxford Brookes University, she is also a certified Six Sigma Black Belt, an HCITB TS1, TS2 & TS3 certified people trainer, and a certified Facilitator and Project Manager. Niki is also a Certified Transformation Specialist, a niche credential that helps individuals focus on change and transformation.

Her background includes director-level positions in Fortune 500 companies, executive management, operational leadership, talent development, people training certification, customer service delivery, and financial and business operations. Niki is also the Founder of The Pet Professional Guild, the only force-free pet professional association in the United States, and The DogSmith, a national and international dog training and pet care business.

Niki has a unique mix of business experience, dog training and behavior skills, a background in excellent customer service, certification as a trainer of trainers, and extensive consulting experience with professionals across various parts of the Pet Industry.

Niki combines these essential skills and experience to create several unique systems and programs for pet professionals. Many of these were previously exclusive to DogSmith business owners until 2025, including programs such as On Task Skill Coaching and MTR. DMAIC is Niki’s proprietary program that serves as a method for analyzing problem behaviors and developing systematic behavior change plans, based on Niki’s extensive experience and certification as a Six Sigma Black Belt.

Niki is passionate about the pet industry and is on a personal mission to raise standards through mentoring, educational leadership, and unwavering dedication to force-free, ethical training.

PPG Members

PPG Members, use your $10.00 discount coupon code at registration to access this for FREE. The code can be found in your membership area.

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