Chomp’s Dog Training: A Budding Denver Business to Watch
One of the best parts of being in real estate is getting to know your clients. At Market Real Estate, we have the great fortune of meeting all kinds of business owners – from health practitioners, to tech founders, to attorneys, to chefs and everything in-between. We had the chance to interview Nick Ramos, a recent client and owner of Chomps Dog Training – a Denver based boarding and training program. Broker Aaron Baney helped Nick find his new 5,000 SF space for his business at 2050 S. Cherokee Street in Denver. Nick was kind enough to share a little of his story. Check it out below. (Note, edited for clarity.)
How and why did you start training dogs? Give us a background on Chomps.
Nick Ramos: I began training dogs around 2017. Much like many other dog trainers, I’ve been around dogs almost all of my life. In middle school I started watching a lot of videos on YouTube about training, and started attempting to train neighbors’ dogs. At that age, I had very little success with the training process, but I loved seeing the dogs learning and working to try and understand what I was asking them to do. What really got me into training dogs professionally was a combination of things. It began after having to re-home an Australian cattle dog because she had become aggressive. I then got my dog, Nermal, aka Chomps, who was a 9-month-old Belgian Malinois that struggled with resource guarding (i.e. when dogs exhibit behaviors like growling, lunging, or biting over food or toys). A couple of months after getting Nermal, I began working with a local dog training company for about 6 months to a year. While working there I met David Broderick, who in my opinion is one of the best trainers in the country. A lot of our current training program is based around what I learned while working with David. I started Chomps Dog Training with in-home dog training in 2019 and shifted to only board and trains in 2020 and have stuck to that model since then. I began my company working out of my own home and have only recently leased and moved into our 5,000 square foot facility.
What is your number one goal you hope to achieve when working with a new client and their dog?
Nick Ramos: My number one goal when working with a new dog is creating a clear system for communication. It is extremely important that the dogs understand what’s being asked of them. We begin our process with new clients by helping them to set expectations and goals for how they will interact with their dogs, we then work out a strategy of how to achieve these goals. This leads to a long lasting and impactful relationship between the owner and the dog.
Tell us what you enjoy about owning your own business. And do you work alone or with employees/partners?
Nick Ramos: What I enjoy about owning a business is being able to give my employees a job that they love, and watching their passion for this work translate into success with both the dogs and clients. I currently have 5 employees who are all amazing.
Tell us about your experience working with Aaron Baney from Market Real Estate.
Nick Ramos: Aaron was amazing to work with. I have a lot of other friends that own businesses and will always recommend they work with him. Aaron was incredibly helpful and patient throughout the process of finding a space for my company. I was unsure of what I wanted when we first started working together and he helped me not only figure out our budget, but also in understanding fluctuations in lease rates in different areas. I had no experience renting before and honestly not the best financials due to the business being so young. Yet he still believed in me and in my business which was always incredibly comforting and encouraging. The process of finding the perfect spot was long and at times very defeating, but because of Aaron I did not give up.
Where do you hope to see Chomps in 2-3 years?
Nick Ramos: In 2-3 years I’d love to see Chomps as one of—if not the best—known trainers in Colorado. I want to expand into a facility in Evergreen that has 10+ acres to create the most beautiful facility in colorado.
If you are looking into leasing – from retail, office, to warehouse – and aren’t sure where to start, do not hesitate to reach out to Market Real Estate. We are always a call away and love helping business owners begin a new chapter of their story.
