The Roanoker - March/April 2021 - 16

do you know...?

Do You Know...

Hope Cogen?

H

ope Cogen, like so
many of us, had
to make a quick
adjustment to Covid19 if she was going to
stay in business. As owner of High
Hopes Dog Training, she's been
named Best Dog Trainer for eight
straight years by The Roanoker, so her
competence was not the question. It
was a matter of facing the reality of
social distancing.
Before the virus became the center
of our lives, she did both individual
and group classes, concentrating on
positive reinforcement, for a wide
range of training (ranging in price to
as much as $2,595 for 20 individual
lessons over 10 weeks.)
" Once the pandemic started, "
she says, " I knew I had to figure out
a way to continue working. I was
recently separated from my husband
and had to support myself and my
son. I learned how to use Zoom,
contacted all of my clients and asked
them to give the online training a try.
" It took a little practice, but the
online classes were a hit. Everyone clicks
on the Zoom link, and we all join the
class together. Everyone sees all of the
participants, anywhere from four to 12
screens of people in their homes with
their dogs. I explain the behavior I am
teaching as I demonstrate with my dog,
Spartacus, while everyone watches. I then
tell everyone to practice the behavior with
their own dogs. "
Cogen grew up in Massachusetts with
stuffed animals, but no live ones. She
became an elementary school teacher

16 MARCH/APRIL 2021

upon graduation from college, but after
adopting a puppy, she realized she knew
little about dogs, " so it was back to
researching. I was fascinated with what I
was learning and found many similarities
between working with children and dogs.
A whole world opened up to me, and it
soon became an obsession. "
" I volunteered at a humane society and
worked for a dog training company for
two years. I knew I had found my calling.
I quit teaching and started my own dog
training company. For 10 years, she was
the only employee of her company.

Since Covid-19 moved to the
center, Spartacus has been her primary
demonstration animal. " I could not
have made this change in my business
without him, " she says.
Cogen relocated her family and
business to Roanoke, even though " I
did not know anyone, did not have
any connections. I had to start my
business from scratch. I spoke to every
veterinarian and groomer in town. I
stopped people walking their dogs and
gave them my business card. I had to
continue my work with dogs. It was
my passion. Within about six months,
I was gaining more and clients and was
building a reputation for myself. "
The online classes meet on Zoom and
those taking part " discuss the problems
they are having with their dogs, list
goals, and create a training plan. Like
in the group classes, I demonstrate the
behaviors with Spartacus, and then
watch as my clients practice at home
with their dogs. I am able to coach them
along - remind them of how to stand,
what to say when, etcetera. "
She has expanded High Hopes and
" now have clients all over the country. "
When the virus finally decreases as a
threat, " I would like to return to doing inperson private lessons and group classes
but also be able to offer people online
training for those who may live elsewhere,
are homebound or have dogs that would
not do well in a group setting. I am
also working on creating pre-recorded
instructional videos that people can
purchase and watch at their own pace. "
She didn't say if the video would come
with a stuffed animal. I

TheRoanoker.com

ARI COGEN

written by Dan Smith This female business owner adapted her dog training
business during COVID-19 and found customers all over the country.
http://www.TheRoanoker.com
The Roanoker - March/April 2021

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