So, you want to become a dog trainer?
Now let’s actually teach you how to become one.
We take only eight — four in person and four virtual — chosen with care. Our founding 2027 cohort begins April 1, 2027, and applications are open through March 31.
You’ve watched the videos. You’ve listened to the podcasts. You follow the trainers. You probably analyze random dogs walking down the street without even realizing you’re doing it.
The From The Heart Professional Trainer Mentorship is the program I wish existed when I was trying to figure out how to actually become a professional dog trainer.
Applications are open for our founding 2027 cohort.
Our first Professional Trainer Mentorship cohort begins April 1, 2027.
Applications and enrollment remain open through March 31, 2027, with a maximum of eight participants accepted across our in-person and virtual mentorship options.
All accepted participants begin together and progress through the same 12-month curriculum, creating a real opportunity to learn, collaborate and grow alongside other aspiring professional trainers.
Limited to 8 participants. Applications close March 31, 2027.
Apply for the 2027 CohortYou probably already know who you are.
- Maybe you already work with dogs.
- Maybe training your own dog made you realize how much you love this.
- Or maybe you’re sitting in a completely unrelated career thinking, I really wish I could do this for a living.
I get it. I was that person.
This is almost a full year of learning, watching, practicing, questioning, getting feedback and developing the judgment to become a professional trainer who can think for yourself.
Not just someone who knows dog-training techniques.
A trainer.
This isn’t a certification.
It’s not a weekend course and it’s not a library of prerecorded videos.
There are endless places to learn dog-training techniques. Information isn’t really the problem anymore.
The challenge comes when you’re standing in front of a dog you’ve never met, with an owner waiting for you to tell them what you see and what to do next.
That’s where being a trainer actually starts.
We have principles. We don’t have a script.
You’ll learn the From The Heart philosophy: state of mind, fulfillment, structure, communication, confidence, relationship, pressure and release, boundaries and the tools we use every day.
But I’m not interested in creating eight versions of me.
Dogs don’t work from a script. The nervous dog in front of you doesn’t need the same thing as the confident dog. A puppy doesn’t need the same thing as a dog who has practiced the same patterns for six years.
I want you learning to ask:
- What am I seeing?
- What’s missing?
- What does this dog need from this human?
- And why am I making this decision?
You’ll learn to make decisions, explain them and change your plan when the dog gives you different information.
Learn how to think. Not what to copy.
The dog is only half your job.
You can be incredibly good with dogs and still struggle as a professional trainer if you don’t know how to communicate with people.
Owners may be nervous, overwhelmed, frustrated or simply unsure what to do next.
A great trainer has to know how to explain complicated concepts simply, give realistic homework, have difficult conversations and help an owner understand what needs to change without making them feel defeated.
We’re going to work on reading the human in front of you just as much as you’re learning to read the dog.
Both ends of the leash matter.
So what are we doing for almost a year?
Build the foundation
Build strong handling skills and understand the principles behind the way we train.
Leash work. Pressure and release. Place. Crates. Thresholds. Fulfillment. Structure. Boundaries. State of mind. Relationship.
You won’t just learn how we do something. You’ll learn why.
Learn how to see
Now we start developing your judgment.
You’ll analyze real cases, client intakes and lessons and learn to identify what you’re seeing, what matters first and how you would approach it.
Sometimes you’ll agree with me. Sometimes you won’t. That’s okay.
I want trainers who think.
Become the trainer
Now you take more ownership.
You’ll work dogs, build training plans, make decisions, practice client conversations, teach concepts and get feedback.
I’m not looking for perfection. I’m looking for your ability to observe, think, make a decision, explain it and adjust.
Build the career
Being able to train a dog and knowing how to build a career are two different things.
We’ll cover clients, professionalism, pricing, services, profitability, marketing, boundaries, recurring revenue, leadership, hiring and business growth.
Maybe you want your own company. Maybe you want to become an incredible trainer working for someone else.
“What would Victoria do?”
“Here’s what I see. Here’s what I think this dog needs. Here’s what I’m going to do. And here’s why.”
THAT is the goal.
4 in-person. 4 virtual.
The cohort is intentionally small because I want to know the people I’m mentoring, understand how you think and actually watch you develop throughout the year.
There are eight spots.
Four students will train with us in person at From The Heart.
You’ll work with real dogs in real situations through hands-on training, private lessons, Training Camps, field trips, client interactions, case work and more.
You’ll learn from me, Abby and the FTH team while working with dogs with different personalities, challenges, energy levels and states of mind.
Your role here is to learn, practice and develop as a trainer.
Virtual students participate in the same mentorship through live education, case studies, video assignments, training assignments, communication work, business coaching and feedback.
You’ll work dogs where you live, submit video and receive coaching throughout the year.
Once per quarter, you’ll travel to Michigan for a hands-on immersion at FTH.
Different logistics. Same mentorship.
Travel and lodging are not included in tuition.
What your week actually looks like.
Before a commitment like this, it’s fair to wonder what being in the mentorship actually looks like week to week.
- Your assigned hands-on days with us at From The Heart
- Live education and coaching
- Training and communication assignments
- Case discussions and observation
- Progressively more responsibility working with real dogs and clients
- Twice-weekly live Zoom education and coaching
- Training and communication assignments
- Case analysis
- Video submissions and feedback
- Independent practice and work with dogs where you live
- Quarterly in-person immersions in Michigan
I built the mentorship I wish I had.
When I decided I wanted to become a dog trainer, I became obsessed with learning.
I watched trainers, listened to podcasts, studied different approaches, worked dogs and tried to connect all of the information I was consuming.
But what I really wanted was someone I respected who actually wanted to teach me.
- Someone I could ask why.
- Someone who would watch me work, tell me what I missed and challenge me to think differently.
- And eventually, someone who could help me answer another question:
- How do I actually turn this into a career?
Since then, I’ve grown From The Heart from training dogs on my own into a multi-service dog training company.
A team, structured daycare, boarding, private training, training programs, an online community and the systems needed to support all of it.
I’ve learned what it takes not just to train dogs, but to build the client experience, the team and the business behind the training.
That’s why I built this.
I want to develop trainers who are confident enough to trust themselves and humble enough to keep learning.
Changing the Mindset of Dog Ownership with Victoria
Yes. We’re going to talk about money.
If this is going to become your career, you need to understand more than dog training.
You can care deeply about dogs, do really good work and build a profitable career.
If you want to own a business, we’ll talk about pricing, profitability, services, recurring revenue, marketing, customer experience, hiring, leadership, systems and growth.
If you don’t want to own a business, we’ll focus on becoming an incredibly valuable professional trainer, building a caseload, working with clients and creating a career you actually enjoy.
There isn’t one version of success here.
You’re not buying information.
Information is everywhere.
You’re investing in an environment designed to develop you through real experience, feedback, repetition, coaching and access.
- Nearly a full year of professional mentorship
- Twice-weekly live Zoom education and coaching
- Real case analysis and lesson breakdowns
- Hands-on training for in-person students
- Quarterly Michigan immersions for virtual students
- Training and communication assignments
- Trainer Video Labs
- Client communication coaching
- Business and career coaching
- Private mentorship forum
- Quarterly one-on-one Trainer Development Reviews
- Access to the growing FTH case library
- Feedback from me, Abby and the FTH team
You’re not just learning information. You’re developing as a professional.
And when the year ends?
The intensive mentorship ends in the fourth quarter, but the relationship doesn’t have to.
Graduates will have the option to join the FTH Trainer Alumni Community for $50/month for continued case discussions, education, questions and connection with the trainer community.
My goal isn’t to make you dependent on me. It’s to help you trust yourself while giving you a professional community you can continue learning alongside.
The intensive mentorship lasts a year. The relationship doesn’t have to.
The investment.
Program Tuition
$15,000
Pay in Full
Save $500
$14,500
Payment Plan
Initial payment secures your spot once accepted, then 6 monthly payments
$3,750 + 6 × $1,875
This is a commitment to the full mentorship. The payment plan is simply a way to spread tuition across several months, not a month-to-month membership.
When I accept you, I’m giving you one of only eight spots for the year. I’m committing to your development and I expect the same commitment in return.
You don’t buy your way into this.
You apply.
There are only eight spots and I’m not necessarily looking for the eight people with the most dog-training experience.
I’m looking for curiosity, coachability, work ethic, self-awareness and people who genuinely want to learn.
What have you done with the resources you’ve already had available to you?
I can teach you a lot. I can’t make you want it.
How to apply.
- Submit your application.
- Selected applicants will be invited to a virtual interview with me.
- Finalists will be invited to FTH for a trial/shadow day with the team.
- Final selections will be made.
I’m not expecting applicants to already train the way we do. I want to see how they listen, think, ask questions and respond to feedback.
- Submit your application.
- Selected applicants will be invited to submit a short video.
- Selected finalists will be invited to a virtual interview with me.
- Final selections will be made.
Virtual students must be willing and able to travel to Michigan for quarterly hands-on immersions.
Applying does not guarantee acceptance.
A few questions you’re probably thinking.
Do I already need to be a dog trainer?
No. Experience is helpful, but I’m much more interested in how serious you are about learning, what you’ve already done on your own and how coachable you are.
Is this a certification?
No. The goal is to develop your skills, judgment and ability to work professionally, not simply give you a certificate.
Is virtual basically an online course?
No. Virtual students actively participate, train dogs, submit work, attend live education and travel to Michigan quarterly for hands-on work.
Can I do the mentorship while working a full-time job?
The virtual program can work alongside another job — as long as you understand this is an active mentorship, not an online course you log into whenever you feel like it. You’ll need to make real time for the live education, assignments, practice and feedback.
The in-person program asks for significantly more availability, since you’ll need to be physically at From The Heart for your assigned hands-on days. Either way, participation matters.
Are travel and lodging included?
No. Virtual students are responsible for travel, lodging and related expenses.
Am I guaranteed a job with FTH?
No. Employment is never guaranteed, although exceptional graduates may potentially be considered for future opportunities.
Can I stop paying if I decide not to finish?
No. Enrollment is a commitment to the full program and full tuition. The enrollment agreement will contain the official terms.
What if I miss something?
Life happens, but this isn’t a drop-in program. There will be clear participation expectations and missed hands-on days or immersions generally won’t roll over.
Thinking about it?
Good. You should.
This is almost a year of your life and a significant investment. I’m going to expect things from you, challenge you, give you feedback and ask you to think differently.
You don’t need to already be a great trainer to apply. You need to genuinely want to become one.
- 8 people.
- Almost one full year.
If you’ve been waiting for someone to actually teach you,
maybe this is it.
