Today, we’d like to introduce you to Dee Hoult.
Dee, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
It’s hard to believe that I’m 20 years into my career as a certified professional dog trainer and certified dog behavior consultant. I’ve been training dogs all my life recreationally, but it wasn’t until I was in the middle of doing my MBA at the University of Miami that I realized I could make professional dog training into a legitimate business.
I’m proud to say that my company, Applause Your Paws, Inc., is one of the largest reward-based dog training in the country, in both the number of certified dog trainers we have on staff, our physical location, and the volume of pet owners that we help annually through all of our dog and puppy training programs. My success in business has allowed me to give back so much of my time to our Miami animal welfare community throughout the years.
When I reflect on the last two decades, it’s incredible how much time and early mornings I put in to appear like an overnight success! From super early business networking breakfast meetings to attending countless pet dog industry workshops and conferences, I spent every waking minute of my first 10-12 years in business non-stop hustling.
That willingness to put in the time required to grow a successful business has afforded me a lot of luxuries now, yet I’ve always tried to stay humble. I had a fellow, more experienced entrepreneur once told me early on in my journey to never lose sight of the fact that if you want to get the same result you’ve always gotten, you have to keep doing the things you’ve always done.
That really resonated with me, and it’s allowed me to never become complacent no matter how successful my business remains.
Let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what challenges have you had to overcome?
It’s been a relatively smooth road with a few major potholes. I think every entrepreneur in a customer-facing, service-based industry would agree that lockdown due to COVID-19 was the most stressful and devastating time.
Imagine going from over 100k in revenue monthly to suddenly… nothing. That’s what it was like. As a business owner, you try to save money and plan for worst-case scenarios to protect your company, your staff, and your customers, but you never imagine that you’d be faced with a scenario that causes all revenue to just STOP. It was terrifying. I can remember sitting on my front porch, physically shaking, sobbing, not knowing what to do.
But in less than 90 days, I pivoted, and my team was able to still offer our services to customers outside of our indoor location as well as virtually, and by that fall, we were back on track. My business, like many others, had one of the best years ever in 2021 as the world slowly started to find its way back to normal. Having gone through a truly traumatic time like that now makes every other speed bump seem small by comparison. For business owners who are just starting out, know that every entrepreneur out there is going to have high and low points.
My best advice is when you’re faced with adversity. It’s helpful to make a list of everything you have to accomplish to get yourself into a better position. Feeling like you’re drowning is overwhelming, but if you can physically write down what you need to accomplish it makes it a lot easier to digest and take action!
Just recently, in December 2023, I was faced with some tough decisions that needed to be made.
The only way I was able to accomplish them without a complete emotional breakdown was to write down a numbered list and go in chronological order of what I needed to accomplish. In just 90 days, I increased my profit margins, improved my company culture through new hires, and landed a huge contract with our municipal animal shelter. It’s amazing what you can do if you have a persistent attitude.
As you know, we’re big fans of Magic City K9. What can you tell our readers who might not be as familiar with the brand?
My dog training business, Applause Your Paws, Inc., is well-known in our community. I’ve worked hard to have a lot of brand recognition, and often, when talking to a dog owner, someone will tell me, “Oh! I trained my dog with your company!” That’s a great feeling. What I’d really like to tell you about today is my nonprofit prison dog training program – Magic City K9.
I started Magic City K9 in 2016 because I saw the need for more resources for our shelter dogs. I used to donate board and train programs to shelter dogs through Applause Your Paws but realized that we just couldn’t make a dent, only being able to help one or two dogs at a time. Magic City K9 is able to help over 150 dogs annually! Magic City K9 rescues high-risk dogs (those that will likely face euthanasia) from local municipal shelters and places them inside the Florida Department of Corrections – prison! I have 38 dogs per cycle who live for several months inside the prison with our inmate dog trainers.
My program is listed as a vocational program, which means our guys earn state certifications for learning how to train dogs. The inmates teach the dogs the skills needed for each dog to successfully be placed in a home. We target bully breeds over 50lbs since they have the hardest time getting adopted. My program is truly the last chance for many of the dogs that gain admission and is often the first chance that many of our inmates have had to feel valued again, gaining the confidence that they can learn a new skill and better themselves.
Prison dog training programs play a vital role in inmate rehabilitation. Programs like mine provide inmates with a sense of responsibility and purpose. Caring for and training dogs requires consistency, discipline, and patience, which fosters important qualities that can be transferred to other areas of their lives. The presence of dogs in prison helps create a positive and therapeutic environment. Dogs provide emotional support, reduce stress levels, and promote empathy and compassion among inmates. This interaction with animals contributes to improved mental health and emotional well-being, which are essential aspects of rehabilitation.
My prison dog training program teaches inmates valuable skills that can be utilized upon their release. These skills include dog handling, obedience training, basic grooming, and husbandry. By acquiring these skills, our guys have a higher chance of finding employment opportunities in the animal care industry, thus reducing the likelihood of recidivism. Several of my guys have graduated from my program and started their own successful dog-training businesses!
Prison dog programs encourage teamwork and collaboration among inmates. Their having to work together fosters a sense of community and helps develop social skills that are crucial for successful reintegration into society. I’m so very proud that my program can offer hope, purpose, and a chance for our guys to rebuild their lives with a renewed sense of confidence and compassion.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
I absolutely LOVE Miami, FL. From our gorgeous tropical weather to our intercoastal ecosystems, I cannot envision ever completely leaving Miami (although I do love a good vacation in the mountains when it gets way too hot in the summer!). I love the cultural diversity of this city and all of the amazing events we have access to year-round.
Sometimes I genuinely get in my feels driving across the bridge to Miami beach, cruise ships and palm trees juxtaposed against the city skyline at sunset. I’ll flip over to 98.3 on the radio, let the Latin beats take over the radio waves, and I smile thinking about how lucky we are to have everything Miami offers right here at our fingertips.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.magiccityk9.org
- Instagram: @magiccityk9
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/magiccityk9
