Meet Andrew Steinkohl | Owner – Destination Dog Training

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

Hi Andrew, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
Having worked for several other companies in the industry for several years, I simply wanted to create something better. While, there were a ton of really good things happening in those places, there were also some issues that continued to pop up over and over again; so much so that they almost seemed predetermined. With little desire from the owners to innovate or adapt to these issues, it became clear to me that I had to branch off on my own to create the best version of the business possible. With the ability to structure to things to my liking, I aimed to offer a service that was better for my clients (first and foremost), but also better for me and those who would ultimately be a part of my team.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I own a dog training business in the Glendale/North Phoenix area. We work with dogs of any size, age or temperament to help them become the best version of themselves. Oddly enough though, I didn’t live with or around a lot of dogs growing up. My family had one dog – a poorly behaved Cocker Spaniel – who would not walk on a leash, wasn’t allowed upstairs (he would poop or pee every time he found himself up there) and who ran away all the time. I was also bitten by several dogs growing up, because I did not understand dogs at all. A few years after moving to Phoenix, my fiancé and I adopted a rescue puppy from the ASPCA. Super cute and super smart, but a little bit of a terror. So much so that I had to hire a trainer to help me figure out this little ball of energy sprinting around my house all day. It was during this time I developed a love and passion for training, and decided to find a way to make it more than just something I did for myself. 10 years later I have now professionally worked with and trained well over a thousand dogs (and their owners). I have been able to identify the patterns, habits, and behavioral traps that cause dogs to grow frustrated and misbehave. Equally as important, though, I have come to find that the solutions to these problems are often not very complicated. In fact, I tell people all the time – dog training is not magic, it’s just a matter of being able to effectively explain to the dog how you want them to behave. Therefore, my goal for every dog and family that I work with is to help bring clarity and cohesion to their relationship. Utilizing my background in teaching (seven years of Math and Psychology before I switched to the dogs), I guide owners through a common sense approach to training. My system enables people to better explain to their dog how to successfully navigate life and enjoy being an easy going member of the family. With this ability, anything and everything becomes possible for them and their dog.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
The nature of my business takes me around to almost every part of the Phoenix metro area. It really is a beautiful city with a ton to do, and each part has it’s own unique offerings, depending on what you are looking for. Since my business is focused on training dogs, we are always looking for dog friendly places to go and things to do. These are some of our favorite, that you can bring your four legged friends along with you. Smalltown Coffee House (59th Ave and Union Hills) Luci’s at the Orchard (12th St. and Northern) Lookout Tavern (7th St and Greenway) O.H.S.O (several locations) JJ’s Deli (Scottsdale Rd and Pinnacle Peak) Biscuits Cafe (several locations) The Stock Shop (67th Ave and Thunderbird) Scottsdale Quarter and Kierland Commons (Scottsdale Rd & Greenway) Desert Ridge Marketplace (101 and Tatum) Lola’s Coffee (3rd St & Roosevelt) Bikini Beans Coffee (several locations) Union Coffee (67th Ave and Thunderbird) Scramble (several locations) Yolk Cafe (101 & Cave Creek) Snooze (several locations)

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
In order to go from knowing nothing about dogs to running a successful training business there are countless number of people who have shared their knowledge and experience to help me get where I am today. However, nothing in my business (or life in general) would be possible without my fiancé Tiffany. She has supported me, my ideas, my business and everything that comes with it 100% of the time. From the very beginning when I just started to learn how to train a dog, to the countless hours building a business from the ground up, to now being an essential member of my training team herself she has been there every step of the way. She is ultimately the true driving force of everything that happens and I couldn’t be happier to have her be a part of it.

Website: www.destinationdogtraining.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/destination_dog_training_/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/destinationdogtraining/

Image Credits
Brandi Majerle