Every trainer on Goody Doggy has a position in their city and state list, and some carry a ranking badge. This page explains how those positions are worked out, what each badge means, and where paid placement does and does not come into it.
What a ranking is based on
Rankings are calculated from public ratings and reviews. Nothing a trainer writes on their own profile changes their position, and neither does how complete the profile is or how long they have been listed.
Two things go into the score:
- Average rating (about 90% of the score). The star rating on the trainer’s primary public listing. This is the bulk of the score, because it is the clearest signal of whether clients were happy.
- Number of reviews (about 10%). Counted on a sliding scale rather than a straight total, so a long-established trainer with hundreds of reviews does not automatically bury an excellent smaller one – but a rating backed by forty reviews still counts for more than the same rating backed by two.
Trainers we do not rank
A trainer with no public reviews yet is shown as not yet rated rather than being given a low position. They still appear in their city and state listings with their full profile. A new trainer is not a bad trainer, and we would rather say we do not know than imply we do.
Where paid placement fits
Featured is a paid upgrade a trainer can buy for their city or cities. We think it is only fair to be specific about what it does and what it does not do.
- What it does. Featured trainers appear in a Featured section at the top of the city and state pages they are listed on, and their profile carries a Featured badge so you can see which they are. They can also add more to their profile, such as photos, a logo and social links.
- What it does not do. Featured does not improve a trainer’s ranking position, and it does not earn a better ranking badge. It has no effect on the score above, on any rating or review count, or on where any other trainer appears. Standard listings are free, and nobody can pay to be described as higher rated than they are.
What each badge means
Trainers may display these on their own websites. Each badge links back to the Goody Doggy page it was earned on, so anyone can check it.
#1 Ranked, Top 3, Top 5, Top 10, Top 25
The trainer’s position in that city or state list. Positions move as ratings and reviews change.
A tier is only awarded when the list is long enough for it to mean something – Top 5 needs at least six trainers in the area, Top 10 at least eleven, and Top 25 at least fifty. Coming third out of three is not a Top 3, so we do not call it one.
Featured
A paid listing. It signals that the trainer has upgraded their profile. It is not a ranking position and does not mean they scored higher than anyone else.
Recognized
Shown to any trainer whose listing is active and meets the listing requirements in our Terms of Service – valid contact details, current licensing and insurance, and information kept up to date. It confirms a trainer is listed and in good standing. It is not a ranking position and does not imply a score.
How often rankings change
A trainer’s score is recalculated whenever their rating or review count is refreshed, and their position moves with it. Because the score is relative, a trainer can move up or down without anything about their own business changing – someone else in their city may have gained reviews.
An example
Two trainers in the same city, both rated 5.0. One has 875 reviews and scores 5.24; the other has 41 reviews and scores 4.91. The first ranks ahead of the second, because at the same rating the review count separates them – but note how close the two scores are. The smaller trainer is not treated as twenty times worse for having twenty times fewer reviews.
If something looks wrong
If your rating or review count is out of date, or your position looks wrong to you, use the Send us your changes link on your profile and we will look into it. If we have made a mistake we will fix it and say so.