Case Study
Know Better Do Better Dog Training
Custom website for a certified dog trainer in Eastern Connecticut — designed for local search visibility, fast performance, and conversion.
The Problem
Brittni Hyzer is a Fear Free certified professional dog trainer serving Eastern Connecticut and Rhode Island. She had a growing business built on referrals and a strong reputation — but when a potential client Googled her, there was nothing to land on that matched her credibility.
Her existing site was built on Showit, a platform designed for photographers — not service businesses competing in local search. The result: a 77/100 PageSpeed score on mobile, a 5.3-second load time for the main content, zero structured data, and no way for Google to understand her business in a structured way. She was invisible in the local search pack while competitors with less experience ranked above her.
The real problem wasn’t that she lacked a website. It was that she was losing clients she never even knew she had the chance to win.
The Process
The project started with a conversation, not a mockup. Before writing a single line of code, we needed to understand how Brittni’s clients find her, what questions they ask before booking, and what makes someone choose her over another trainer.
Structure built around the buyer’s journey. A first-time visitor to a dog trainer’s site is almost always anxious — about their dog’s behavior, about the cost, about whether training will actually work. The site architecture was designed to immediately answer three questions: Who are you? Can you help my specific situation? How do I get started?
A stack chosen for performance. The site was built on Astro.js with Tailwind CSS v4, deployed to Cloudflare Pages. Astro ships zero JavaScript by default, which means the site loads fast — and fast-loading sites rank better, bounce less, and convert more.
Structured data from the ground up. We implemented LocalBusiness, Person, Service, and Review schemas — the code that tells Google her business name, credentials, location, services, and client testimonials in a machine-readable format.
PocketSuite integration. Booking widgets were embedded directly into the site using PocketSuite’s data-keyword system, so visitors can book group classes or private training without ever leaving the page.
Copy written to convert. The hero section doesn’t open with “Welcome to KBDB Dog Training.” It opens with the client’s problem. Every section was written with the understanding that a website visitor is one moment of confusion away from hitting the back button.
The Proof
Technical Wins (Measurable at Launch)
| Metric | Before (Showit) | After (Astro Rebuild) |
|---|---|---|
| PageSpeed Score (Mobile) | 77/100 | Target: 95+ |
| Largest Contentful Paint | 5.3s | Target: < 1.5s |
| Structured Data Items | 0 detected | 7 detected, 0 errors |
| Rich Results Test | ”No results detected” | LocalBusiness, Person, Service, Review |
| Platform Fees | Showit monthly subscription | $0/month (Cloudflare Pages free tier) |
Business Wins
A professional anchor for every referral. When someone recommends Brittni now, there’s a real destination — one that reinforces the recommendation rather than undermining it.
Built to be found. Semantic HTML, clean metadata, and Cloudflare-edge performance give the site a strong foundation for local SEO — putting Brittni in front of dog owners actively searching in her service area.
Owned, not rented. Unlike a Showit subscription, Brittni owns this site outright. The content, the design, and the customer relationship belong to her business.
Performance Data (30/60-Day Update)
Site launched March 2026 — Google Analytics and Search Console data to be added at 30 and 60-day marks.
Metrics to be reported:
- Organic search impressions and clicks
- Top landing pages and engagement
- Geographic traffic breakdown (Eastern CT / RI)
- PocketSuite booking link click-throughs