A new leash on life: Hadley father leaves corporate world to start dog training business with son

HADLEY — Fewer people are having kids — they’re having dogs. That shift, among other factors, led Hadley resident Paul Phifer from negotiating a $1 billion federal deal to becoming a dog trainer. He teamed up with his son Addie, who set aside an accounting career after college, to form a father-son duo whose mission is to bring owners closer to man’s best friend.

As dog ownership rises, so do behavioral challenges, they said this week from their Hadley home, noting that since COVID-19 more dogs have developed separation anxiety once owners began returning to the office after pandemic quarantines.

To help pet owners address these and other common problems — from barking to jumping up on guests, as well as more serious cases of biting and nipping — the Phifers recently became a franchisee and went through a professional training program called Always Faithful Dog, a Chicago-based company that has franchises in some 45 territories throughout the country. The Phifers oversee the Massachusetts and Connecticut areas, along with other trainers.

To correct these bad dog behaviors, the Phifers teach clients a training system that promotes consistency, praise and petting, rather than using treats, collars or clickers to instill discipline. Paul Phifer explained that this method was begun by a Marine, and has been used to train some 60,000 dogs nationally.

“We can achieve very successful results without the use of those things,” he said. “Treats can be very effective, no doubt. But studies have shown that in the long haul, petting and praise can be equally as effective. It’s about redirecting them away from the negative behavior and rewarding the positive behavior.”

Paul continued, “It’s not a punitive, heavy-handed approach. It’s really just the sort of approach that you take as a parent … where I wouldn’t let my children jump up on people and yell at people when they walk in the door. Why would you let your dog? But that’s such a common behavior, right?”

Addie drew a parallel between training a dog and building a relationship.

“If you see someone every day, everyday interactions build trust, and it’s the same with your dog. If your dog is kind of a couch potato, and you don’t take them out that much, it’s hard to build that connection,” said Addie, whose father added, “It takes little things, lots of interactions.”

Some 45 minutes of exercise, mental stimulation and positive reinforcement are all crucial, they explained. And like people, dogs don’t just want comfort and food, but also a sense of purpose and a job that comes from being active and disciplined.

“Is the dog being stimulated enough? Are they getting enough exercise? It’s not just physical stimulation, but are they getting mentally stimulated?” said Addie. “We find that just instilling that ritual of good discipline, some good exercise, good affection, giving the dog some challenge … gives them a purpose.”

The framework of their training rests on the “Three D’s” — duration, distance and distraction. Paul said progress in all three areas can be expected in roughly six to eight sessions for most dogs.

“You start with the lowest, low distraction, nearby, short term and then you just keep adding it up,” said Paul, adding that eventually, “You want them to sit longer. You want them to sit from across the room, and when someone’s knocking on the door.”

As far as training goes, variables are as numerous as there are dogs. Some are younger, some older, some are healthier than others. And like being on a diet, some dogs take more or less time to train.

“You have to work around their inherent traits, and different dogs have different personalities too,” said Paul. “Our dog just never played well with other dogs, and we got her when she was four. She probably wasn’t socialized properly when she was young.”

Nonetheless, Paul added that the old idiom is false, and old dogs can be taught new tricks.

So far, the Phifers have taken in six clients in the past two months. Before training, which is charged at $115 for hourlong sessions, they offer a free assessment to learn the owner’s objectives. Homework is also crucial to the program, they said.

“Once a week is not going to instill a habit — it needs to be repeated by the owner,” said Addie.

“There’s no magic switch here,” said Paul. “It takes time.”

The path to dogs

Paul’s journey to dog training with Addie began last October when he found himself without work just as his son was returning from a college graduation trip to South America.

The father had a 30-year career, including 20 years at the Hadley’s Silvio O. Conte Fish and Wildlife Center where he managed endangered species and completed wildlife habitat restoration.

“It’s always been birds, bats and cats and things like that, but never dogs so much,” he said.

About six or seven years ago, he went to work for a French company called TotalEnergies, and in that capacity helped the company strike a $1 billion deal with the U.S. government to develop an offshore wind project. The Trump administration, however, clawed back that money last year and in the process left Paul without work.

Addie, meanwhile, was looking for work for an accounting firm after graduating from Elms College. “And then it happened to coincide with my dad being free … we started exploring franchising, and this is the one that kind of popped out to us,” said Addie.

So far, they are enjoying the transition in their lives and said the move has strengthened their relationship.

“It’s fun and nerve-wracking at the same time having a business and not working for a company,” said Paul. “The idea of being able to do it with my son was pretty special. That is what sealed the deal. I probably wouldn’t have done this just by myself.”

Addie said that he has admired watching his dad be a “powerhouse” and successful in his work. But now they are able to take on a project as they both learn.

“I’m not just tagging along with my dad,” said Addie. “He’s relying on me and I’m relying on him, back and forth.”

Despite the moments of being confused or frustrated, Addie tells his girlfriend it’s still better than working in a firm.

“When you can clock out and not have to think about your job , that’s pretty nice. But when you can, at the end of the day, know that you’ve progressed something you have built forward, that is infinitely more rewarding,” he said. “Doing people’s taxes is important, absolutely. But I think helping people with their dogs is just as important, and being able to build a business with your father, like a family business, is a huge opportunity. I know many people would really, really love to have that opportunity … I definitely don’t take the opportunity for granted.”