Helen Wainwright is co-founder of the Dog Trainer School, a supportive online community for professional dog trainers that she runs alongside her partner Lee.
Before working with dogs, Helen spent nearly a decade as a product tester and journalist at Good Housekeeping magazine, and later worked in community development.
Going from glossy mags to working as a dog trainer meant taking a huge chance, but you'll hear in this chat how it turned out to be exactly the right preparation for what she does now.
We talk about how the Dog Trainer School came to be, the brilliant new Dog Trainer School Approved scheme, and what Helen has learned about running a business on your own terms without burning out in the process.
We also get into the stuff that doesn't always get talked about - the pressure to prove yourself, the hustle culture that follows dog trainers around on social media, what enough actually looks like.
Key topics and timings in this episode:
0.20: Episode overview.
0.50: Sponsor message – 2026 pet business content planner.
2.20: Helen introduces herself and the Dog Trainer School.
3.09: Why the Dog Trainer School exists — the gap that nobody was filling after qualification.
4.04: Putting together support for trainers from class plans to Canva and SOP documents.
6.51: How Helen and Lee bring in their real-life experience and reassurance into the Dog Trainer School as they're still out there training dogs.
8.44: Imposter syndrome in the dog training industry and why it's so common.
10.14: Helen's background as a product tester and journalist at Good Housekeeping magazine and the Good Housekeeping Institute.
11.32: Being burnt out and going from community development to co-founding the Dog Trainer School, and the boss who believed in her.
12.36: What Helen learned in the Good Housekeeping Institute and behind the scenes on life there testing everythings from wellies to washing machines.
15.46: The Dog Trainer School Approved scheme — how it works, what brands get, and why it matters.
16.50: Testing out the ideas at PATS in 2025 and getting her first brands on board.
17.24: How the testing works and why 30 dog trainers testing a product gives brands something genuinely valuable.
19.30: The value in the validation and what's involved if you do work with TDTS.
22.42: The full circle goal: getting the logo on packaging so dog owners can find ethical trainers.
27.15: Standing out in a busy market and why Helen's biggest advice is to stop watching what everyone else is doing.
30.19: The enoughness conversation — what success actually looks like when you work for yourself.
32.10: Why you don't need to have a high ticket offer and to do what works for you.
35.04: The pressure dog trainers face from family and friends who don't take it seriously as a career.
38.18: The move towards taking pressure off yourself and asking 'am I happy.'
41.28: Finding a way of creating content that is fun and relatable.
42.58: Working with your partner and finding the balance.
44.51: Why Helen goes to the gym every day and won't book meetings over it.
48.37: The coaching relationship Helen walked away from in December, and trusting your gut.
50.47: Helen's recent example of staying true to what the Dog Trainer School is actually for.
53.48: Being mindful of the advice you're consuming as a business owner.
57.16: The importance of ensuring her clients feel like they're not a number.
58.18: What's next: helping dog trainers feel more confident in the practical side of their work.
59.28: Acceptance and commitment — doing the scary thing anyway.
1.01.09: How to find Helen and the Dog Trainer School.
Links mentioned in this episode:
Website: www.thedogtrainerschool.co.uk
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedogtrainerschool/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thedogtrainerschool
Dog Trainer School Approved scheme: https://thedogtrainerschool.co.uk/tdts-recommended
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