Like all years 2024 had it’s highs and lows. Canine Solutions has been in business since 2009 so we’ve seen all sorts of trends and fluctuations in the industry. Data tracking has evolved over the years. We collect a variety of data points when new accounts are created in our database. This information helps us tailor our services to ensure we are reaching the demographic most likely to benefit from what we do. It also provides metrics on which to measure the success of our various marketing endeavors. At the end of the year we are always blessed with interesting food for thought. We’re taking a look at our 2024 review and we have some interesting figures to share with you!
Popular Doggy Names in 2024
Of the 235 pet profiles created in our BusyPaws database, there were 6 names that topped our 2024 review. It may or may not surprise you that the some of the most popular doggy names were mixed gender. However, three of the top names were decidedly gendered with Daisy (female), Gus (male), and Bear (male) receiving 3 votes each. The names Remi and Charlie commonly span the gender divide and each received 3 tallies. I’m guessing the most popular name was influenced by an animated Pixar/Disney film by the same title. Without further ado, the MOST popular name during our 2024 review was CoCo! Four separate profiles were created in 2024 bearing the name CoCo, 3 female and 1 male.
Most Popular Doggy Breeds in 2024
Information associated with breeds is always a little complicated to decipher. Many adopted dogs are given mixed breed assignations based on visual identification. These surface characteristics such as short or long coat, prick or floppy ears, and curly or straight tails vary wildly in mixed breed dogs. Genetic combination can produce inexplicable surface results when compared to DNA testing. Even different DNA tests can give varying answers when the same dog is profiled by different companies. So take these figures with a grain of salt! With that disclaimer, this is was the numbers tell us…
Doodles Remain Popular in Johnson County, KS
We joke that the Doodles are good job security. A ‘doodle’ generally reference an intentionally bred dog that is part poodle. It is a broad identifier that encompasses many breed combinations. As suspected, many of the dogs we worked with in 2024 were, in fact, some sort of ‘Doodle.’ Goldendoodle were the single most popular poodle cross with 7 out of 24 dogs. Cavapoos follow closely behind at 5. Other popular Doodles included the Labradoodles (labrador) and Bernedoodles (Bernese Mountain Dog) which each ranked in at 3 each. We also worked with Schnoodles (Schnauzer), Yorkipoos (Yorkshire Terrier), Pomapoos (Pomeranian), and Cockapoos (Cocker Spaniel)!
Pit Bull Owners Seek Out Dog Training
By far, though, the most popular type of dog listed during our 2024 review were pit bulls and pit bull mixes. Again, dogs often get labeled with unconfirmed breed designations so these stats are based purely on how owners identify their dogs. In total, there were 26 dog profiles created that indicated ‘pit bull’ as the primary breed with 15 of those listed specifically as a ‘pitbull mix’. Nine additional dogs were given a secondary breed classification as ‘pit bull.’ We love working with all breeds! Having fostered and owned many pit bull type dogs over the years, these pups reserve a special places in our hearts. It’s great to see so many owners making the effort to ensure their dogs are positive ambassadors for the bully breeds!
Herding Dogs Constitute the largest Group of Breeds.
It’s easy to get sucked into the nitty gritty numbers so let’s get macro for a minute. The American Kennel Club categorizes breeds into 7 main groups each representing the characteristics and functions the breeds were originally bred for. By far, the largest number of dogs we saw during our 2024 Review was the from Herding group. It’s no wonder considering these dogs tend to be energetic and mouthy. Without an appropriate outlet, their natural dispositions often boil over into anxiety and behavior problems.
Canine Solutions dog trainers worked with a total of 43 herding type dogs in 2024. The largest proportion of profiles created within this group had German Shepherd Dog and Australian Cattle Dog/Heeler breeds listed as their primary breed. Other breeds that comprised the Herding Group included Border Collies, Australian Shepherds, Corgis, and Belgian Malinios. Owners often get these breeds citing their unique coats or intelligence. Then they reach out to us when their dogs become reactive or start herding and nipping the kids.
Gender, Age, and Bite Statistics.
A slight majority of profiles created were identified as Female (55%) as opposed to Male (45%). There were no non-binary dogs indicated, despite a high rate of spay and neutering in the community. Approximately 1/3 of the profiles created were for puppies under 1 year of age. About 60% of those dogs were between 3-5 months of age. This indicates a significant number of pet owners are seeking training proactively to avoid problem behaviors!
Biting is a common behavior problem that owners and pet guardians seek help for. Per the data collected approximately 20% of the profiles creates were for dogs with some sort of bite history. Sometimes this only refers to puppy biting which can get pretty intense. A touch over 8% of these profiles indicated that the dog in question had bitten another dog. Just under 7% of new profiles created stated there had been multiple bite scenarios. After other dogs, it’s no surprise that children were the next largest demographic to be bitten as indicated in slightly under 5% of new profiles.
Common Behavior Problems
People seek dog training assistance for a variety of reasons. Of the 234 profiles found during our 2024 Review a total of 531 behaviors were indicated. Pets were marked at ‘Already Perfect’ only 5 times. This comes as no surprise since people generally reach out when they need help, not when they don’t. These could have been companion animals in the home that weren’t the target dog in need of training. It’s okay to love your dog like they’re perfect even when they need a little molding to get there. This leaves an average of 2.25 problem behaviors per profile created. This is also no surprise considering many dogs have several compounding issues making them harder to live with.
The most commonly selected behavior problem was selected 74 times out of a total of 234 profiles. Almost 1/3 of owners indicated that leash pulling was a challenge they wanted to address through training. Not far behind was ‘Jumping on People’ and ‘Growling, barking, and Lunging when Leashed’ All of these problems often relate to anxiety and over-arousal. Once these behaviors become habits they are challenging to live with. ‘Mouthing and Nipping’ and ‘Won’t Come When Called’ round out the top 5 problem behaviors in 2024.
Most Visited Areas
Dog training is largely an up close and personal kind of businesses. Although we are slowly beginning to incorporate virtual and online training primarily our main focus remains in person services. Our marketing primarily targets the southern Johnson County cities. In 2024, our most visited zip code was 66062. That’s the Olathe area located to the east of I-35. It’s an easy access area with a sprawling residential population. The second most visited zip code was 66061 which is Olathe west of I-35. As one of the southern most dog trainers in the KC region it’s easy for Canine Solutions to pop up on Google ‘dog training near me’ searches that originate in the Olathe area. We also visited 66216 (Shawnee) and 66083 (Spring Hill) frequently throughout the year. So all in all we’re hitting the targets we aimed for!
The cities most visitedin 2024 after Olathe include Overland Park, Shawnee, Lenexa, and Leawood. Single cities can cover large geographic areas and encompass multiple zip codes. Because of highways like I-35 and US-169, it’s easier to travel north and south and stay within our standard service area than it is to travel east and west. With our trainers situated on the west and south sides of Johnson County these areas are well covered. As growth allows we will look to expand our service areas by bringing on additional trainers who can reach into cities in the broader Kansas City Metro.
Looking to the Future
As the new year commences, our focus shifts to improving a number of metrics. Offering the greatest value to clients possible is always the highest priority. Our trainers are committed to continuing education. Dog training is an unregulated industry so our trainers voluntarily maintain certifications with pride. Continuing education ensure we are equipped to deal with whatever behavior challenges. We’ll continue to improve efforts to spread awareness about the benefits and capabilities of positive reinforcement dog training through blogs and informational emails. Connecting with veterinary practices allows us to build rapport with other industry professional share information about low stress handling. Outreach to various rescues and non-profits are how we help improve adoptability of local dogs in need. Increasing handling skills among volunteers and fosters decreases stress in the foster homes. These are just a few of the ways we strive to give back to our community.
We look forward to all the ways we’ll be connecting with dog owners, their pets, and other pet professionals. Promoting the human-canine bond is our passion and we look forward to serving you in 2025. Happy New Year and may it bring you and your loved ones abundance and prosperity!
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