LGU+ Ventures into Pet Business, Attracts 100,000 Companion Dogs

Pet Dog Training Service 'Podong', Popular Problem Dog Counseling
Customized Parenting Methods Suggested, Professional Trainer Home Visits Also Popular

LG Uplus employees introducing the Podong service. Photo by LG Uplus

[Asia Economy Reporter Oh Su-yeon] LG Uplus announced on the 24th that the number of registered companion dogs on its companion dog training service platform ‘Podong (For Dong)’ has exceeded 100,000 just four months after its launch.

Podong is a platform that helps positively correct the behavior and habits of companion dogs. Its main services include the companion dog temperament analysis test ‘DBTI (Dog Behavior Type Indicator)’, the ‘Temperament Counseling Center’ where experts consult with owners based on their dogs’ temperaments, and ‘Training Classes’ that connect trainers with owners.

Launched at the end of July, Podong surpassed 100,000 cumulative registered companion dogs as of November. This means an average of 830 dogs joined daily. The most distinctive service, DBTI, has received 65,000 applications, and over 1,200 owner concerns have been shared in the Temperament Counseling Center, where they received expert advice and coaching.

Podong analyzes various behaviors of companion dogs from multiple angles and helps positively correct problem behaviors as well as small everyday habits. Barking behavior can have various causes such as maladaptation to unfamiliar places, aggressive tendencies, or defensive mechanisms due to a timid nature. Podong offers customized solutions based on cause analysis.

LG Uplus jointly developed the DBTI test, the world’s first temperament analysis for companion dogs, with Lee Chan-jong, director of Isak Dog Training Center and an expert in canine psychological analysis. The test classifies dogs into 16 types based on criteria such as wildness, dependency, sociability, and activity. Director Lee utilized over 10,000 cases accumulated through more than 20 years of training experience to develop 60 questions, and LG Uplus applied big data technology to improve the accuracy of the questions.

The Temperament Counseling Center allows owners facing issues such as barking, separation anxiety, and biting to share their concerns, and canine behavior analysis experts from Isak Dog Training Center provide advice on caregiving methods. Among 1,200 counseling cases, ‘dog barking’ accounted for the largest proportion. Podong has received positive feedback from users by offering solutions based on the dogs’ temperament analysis.

The Training Classes involve trainers visiting owners’ residences to provide 90-minute sessions either one-on-one or up to five dogs per session, covering topics such as leash pulling, control, and walking tailored to the owners’ needs. This service started in Mapo-gu and Yongsan-gu and has expanded to 18 areas in Seoul and the metropolitan area based on owner requests. The 90-minute training service costs 150,000 KRW for one dog and 200,000 KRW for two or three dogs.

A survey conducted by LG Uplus among about 600 Podong users showed satisfaction scores of 9.4 out of 10 for the service and 9.5 for the trainers, with all users indicating their intention to reuse the service.

Lee Chan-jong, director of Isak Dog Training Center, said, “As the number of pet owners gradually increases, accurately understanding companion dogs is not only the beginning of proper caregiving but also a way to consider neighbors. We started this service focusing on the happy lives of pet owners. I hope DBTI helps not only in happy pet life but also in proper caregiving.”

Lee Ji-hoon, head of LG Uplus Pet Platform TF, said, “Just as people communicate according to each other’s personalities and adjust the level of play, it is necessary to properly understand and raise companion dogs according to their personalities. We plan to expand the service so that more pet owners can recognize DBTI and experience temperament-based customized training education.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.