Amidst the pandemic, many people brought home new pets. With this influx, it has created another demand.

“Good evening everybody,” yells Diane Blackman, the owner and head instructor at All Dawgs.

She is very passionate about her work. Blackman has been training dogs for 24 years. On this Thursday evening, she is instructing the dog manners class, which focuses on barking and jumping.

“Yes, and drop it on the ground,” said Blackman, instructing a client and their dog. “And do it again. Yes, and treat.”

She has four classes a night, four nights a week here at All Dawgs in Colonie. And Blackman says this is the busiest it has ever been in her career.

“You got this,” said Blackman, encouraging her class. “Move just a little bit forward.”

Right now, her April classes are already filling up. Private in-home lessons have about a six to seven week wait.

“All right praise him, reward him, release him,” Blackman instructs.

The demand for dog trainers walks parallel with the demand for four-legged friends during the pandemic. From March to December, about 12.6 million households welcomed new pets, according to the American Pet Products Association. The initial surge overwhelmed Blackman and her staff.

“We’ve been doing our very best to accommodate as many clients as we possibly can,” Blackman said.

However, the influx has been a welcome surprise. When the pandemic hit, they closed their doors for several months. Blackman says their revenue was down $20,000 compared to 2019. Financially, the demand for dog trainers has put them in a better position.

As class winds down, Blackman delivers her final tips. And while there’s still more training to be done, she’s grateful to be of service once again.

“This is my life’s work, and helping my clients reach their training goals for their dogs, whatever that goal is, that’s my goal,” Blackman said.