We were lucky to catch up with Amanda Pratt recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Amanda, thanks for joining us today. Naming anything – including a business – is so hard. Right? What’s the story behind how you came up with the name of your brand?
Scout was the dog who changed my life. At only 20 years old I was struggling with PTSD severely, which was causing me depression from a life change of a normal college student. I no longer could leave my home from fear of my abuser. Scout was a rescue dog I fostered when I was just getting started with the rescue world, and he made it known that he was my dog after a week of being with me. I signed the papers and loved that dog with my whole being. A Year later I found the world of Service Dogs, worked with others and trainers, and trained Scout to be my life saving dog. He saved my life. I would not be here today without that boy and I had to make sure that even after he left, he would always be remembered. The name of our Service Dog company is named after that amazing rescue dog that many people walked away from. He is my legacy, he is my everything, and even after he passed in 2021 he continues to inspire me to help others find the dog they need.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
For Service Dog training I highly recommend trainers mentor with as many trainers as possible. Training a dog is not the same for every dog you meet. If you are teaching a command, make sure you have 7 different ways to train that one command. The most successful trainers I know are the ones who never stop learning, don’t talk bad about others out there, and show the work through the dogs and clients they help.
Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?
The dogs you train are the most effect strategy to a growing clientele. Well trained service dogs are becoming less and less common in this day and age. Making sure your clients and dogs live up to a higher standard are so important.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
When you are working with service dog clientele you are working with disabled people. Learning patience, understanding, but also knowing when to not let people walk all over you are always needed. Not everyone you help will like you, and finding peace in that is so important. Finding the peace and happiness in helping those who truly need you are what get you through those first 5 years as a trainer.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.scoutslegacy.com
- Instagram: @scoutslegacy_service_dogs
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ScoutsLegacy
Image Credits
Pictures are taken by Katie Romig Photography