The Hachi Way Associates
Train dogs the way you wish you'd been taught to
The Hachi Way trains trainers who teach owners to read their dog first, and command it second.
If you've spent your career running through obedience commands and watched the same dogs come back unchanged, you already know what's missing. Training with Diona is about filling it in, then carrying the method into your own practice.
After the program
What you'll be qualified to do
- Run a behavioural assessment that tells you, in 90 minutes, what's actually driving a dog's behaviour and what the household needs to change first.
- Teach an owner to read their dog’s body language well enough that they catch escalation before it lands, not after.
- Design a daily structure (cycles of PLAY, ANCHOR, CALM, EXPLORE) that fits the household and changes the dog’s behaviour without needing the handler present and switched-on at every moment.
- Handle a reactive case without escalating it.
- Hold the line on the parts owners cave on, and know why letting any mode slip sets the rest of the work back.
- Take the methodology, adapt it to your own voice, and run it inside your own practice.
The program does not turn you into a clone. It teaches you a framework you can deliver in your own way.
What opens up
Where this can take you
Training with Diona is the start. The point is what comes after: a place in a small network of trainers who work the same way, and the work that flows through it.
- A listing on the public Find a Trainer directory at thehachiway.com.
- Client referrals routed to you through the Hachi Way platform, based on where you work.
- The right to run the Hachi Way methodology inside your own practice, with your own clients.
- A place in the associate community, with quarterly sessions with Diona and an annual gathering.
- First call on associate work as the network grows.
Associate profiles are added here as the first cohort gets going.
How the training works
The PACE Intensive
Training runs through the PACE Intensive: online theory you can do from anywhere, paired with in-person shadowing alongside Diona in Melbourne. You learn the assessment, the four modes, and how to teach an owner to read their own dog. You come out able to run the method inside your own practice, with your own clients and your own voice.
Intake is rolling. We take expressions of interest year-round and run a cohort once there are enough trainers ready, rather than to a fixed calendar. Register now and you are first in line for the next one.
The credential at the end is not attendance. It is assessed, and the whole bar is public: what you complete, what is assessed, and how certification is kept or lost. Read the certification standard
Cohort 1 in a live theory session, August 2026.
Why now
The demand is already here
Owners find this method and want a trainer who works this way near them. Right now most of the world has none. Every Hachi Way trainer opens an area the directory could not serve before, and the client work follows the coverage. Getting trained now means being established before the area fills.
In their words
The method this builds on
The fastest way to understand what you would be trained to deliver is to read what it does for owners. These are real reviews of the work.
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Knowing your dog deeply
We had been through a few different trainers and specialists before we met Diona. We've always loved our dog but now we know our dog on a much deeper level. Through Diona's program we've learnt to have more fun and enjoy our dog as well as develop a deeper understanding of her behaviour and triggers. Life changing.
Lucy R. · 2025
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A different framework
I always thought barking, stealing food and pulling on lead was part of the deal living with dogs. Diona transformed my understanding about dogs and taught me how Piper and I can both live peacefully and enjoyably. It honestly makes life so much easier when you have a calm, relaxed and fulfilled furry friend.
Peony C. · 2024
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Reading body language
Diona really took the time to understand Koko and me, tailoring the training to fit our needs. I've learned so much about reading Koko's body language. She's become much more relaxed outdoors, and we've built a stronger bond through the process.
Antoinette B. · 2025
240+ five-star reviews of Diona's practice as Diona The Trainer. Read more reviews
Questions
Frequently asked
Do I need to be a working trainer already?
Not necessarily. Some associates come in running a full practice, others come from adjacent work with animals or people. What matters is that you have raised or trained at least one dog from scratch and you can read canine body language. If you are not sure you are a fit, the best move is to get in touch and ask.
What can I charge once I qualify?
You set your own rates above a minimum that protects the credential. The Foundation minimum is AU$250 per session. You can charge more; you cannot list as a Hachi Way trainer and charge less.
Can I keep my own practice and my own clients?
Yes. The credential applies to your client-facing work. Your existing clients stay yours.
Will you send me clients?
Over time, yes, through Hachi Way referral routing, based on your location. Volume is not guaranteed and grows with the network.
How do I become a Hachi Way Trainer?
Training runs through the PACE Intensive, a small hands-on program with Diona. This page is the short version. If it sounds like your kind of work, contact us and we will tell you what is involved and whether the timing fits.
Become a trainer
Think you're a fit?
This page is the teaser, not the full brief. Want to train with Diona and join the Hachi Way Associates? Tell us about your work and what you're after. Diona reads every message herself; expect a reply within 7 business days.
Rather say more than a form allows? Send a message