The Dog Behavior Institute is a woman- and queer-owned business. We recognize that small businesses are not neutral, but are part of the community, and we want our community to know what we stand for. We want our company to be more than just the services and products we offer. We want to contribute in a positive way to the real people who live and work in our area. We know that we can have a broader impact beyond the services we offer, and we can set a model for what we hope other companies could be and do in the world.

We recognize the importance of impact over intent, and that having good intentions is not enough. We make every effort to have a positive impact on our clients and the world. We also welcome feedback on how well our services and business support our values.

Making our services accessible

For our training services, we offer one low-cost and up to two medium-cost sliding scale slots each month.

For our online courses, including both professional courses and online training group classes, we offer a free enrollment slot to a BIPOC participant and one sliding scale spot each time the course runs.

Supporting local organizations

We donate 5% of our revenue to Massachusetts-based organizations, or other organizations consistent with our values on a quarterly basis. Our recipients for the first quarter of 2023 are: The Autistic People of Color Fund and the Okra Project

Previous recipients include: The Boston Alliance of LGBTQ+ Youth (BAGLY), SisterSong, Yellowhammer Fund, World Farmers, Transgender Emergency Fund, Rosie’s Place, Boston Center for Independent Living, Massachusetts Immigrant & Refugee Advocacy Coalition, the Lucius Beebe Memorial Library (Wakefield, MA) and the Thayer Memorial Library (Lancaster, MA).

We always recommend buying local and supporting small business! If you can, consider buying pet supplies from a local pet store (our local stores are Everything But the Dog and Gone to the Dogs), and buy your books from local bookstores (we love Brookline Booksmith, Porter Square Books, Belmont Books, and Whitelam Books) or online sellers like Bookshop.org that support independently owned bookshops.

A commitment to anti-racism & inclusion

We are committed to actively speaking out against racism. This involves more than just intention. As white people, we are actively pursing ongoing education around the history we were never taught in school, our own privilege, and antiracism. This has included education, discussion, and action, and we are happy to share details of our processes if requested. This work is not a checklist and is never done. We know that we have work to do, and that the work is, and will continue to be, ongoing.

We are committed to being an anti-racist organization. We strive to work with people who share these values. We will not tolerate ableist, ageist, homophobic, racist, sexist, or transphobic language.