"I want to be a dog trainer." I hear this statement all the time by dog lovers around the world. The next statement usually goes something like this, "how do I get started?"
First, let me just say Im so thrilled that people out there have a love for dogs & want to better their lives.
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| Theo 2001 |
Lets look at some of the things to consider and to determine what qualifies someone to be a dog trainer. Big can of worms opening about now.......
Question-Is your long term goal to train dogs, or to train their human parents? The difference in this answers is huge when thinking of the best way to get your education. Sort of. With either answer your first step is to really learn dog training, dog behavior & everything that goes along with that. If you want to teach people how to train their dogs, you will also need education on teaching people, communication skills, writing a good syllabus, how to evaluate a risky environment....and so much more.
Where to start-Get a job working with dogs daily. Yes, this means you might need to step down from your high paying accounting position and take a big salary cut. It is unlikely that you will obtain a position as a dog trainer from an organization (if so, I personally would be very unlikely to recommend this organization for hiring someone with a lack of experience).
I am talking about a dog shelter, dog grooming salon, veterinarian office, doggie day care.....but somewhere you will be working WITH other humans. Having mentors & learning first hand on a daily basis from others on dealing & working with various dogs in various situations is a invaluable learning experience. This will allow you to learn & grow under hopefully knowledgeable and seasoned professionals who have been in the dog field for some time.
While you are employed in some dog field, continue your education with dog training books, videos, seminars & workshops. Focus on the science on how dogs learn, how to work with clients, dog body language and how to teach dogs behaviors & tricks. You can not over due this, and you should be continuing with your education all through your career.
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| 1970s |
Volunteer at your local shelter walking dogs, interacting with dogs & just observing their behavior. Start to train those dogs, using only positive training methods of course, manners, tricks & how to play. You will need to get a ton of experience working & training various dogs in order to even slightly be qualified to become a dog training instructor.
Take your dog(s) through various dog training classes. When you have found a dog training school that you feel comfortable with and you have taken several classes, see if they offer any kind of volunteer opportunities. Be upfront with them about your long term goals, you never know when they might have an opportunity for you. This could be your next learning experience if you can mentor with a qualified dog trainer. They may even offer apprenticeship opportunities. You should be willing to take on any kind of opportunities they offer, even if its taking photos, or videos of their sessions with clients. Become invaluable to a good dog trainer, they can open doors for you.
Personally I feel that an ideal situation is for a new dog trainer in the field is to work with another dog trainer & co-teach classes together. This allows the new trainer to continue to observe the seasoned trainer & for the seasoned trainer to give regular feedback on good techniques & make suggestions for improvement.
What about dog training schools or dog training certificates? These are all fine & dandy, but do not alone qualify someone to train dogs and/or their dog parents. I consider these feathers in your cap on education. They can be very beneficial, along the lines of seminars. So by all means, attend dog training schools to further your education.
New dog trainers will have various ways they reach their goals and various experiences. Personally I started in a shelter environment, then volunteered at a service dog school before being hired by them full time. During my 3 years training service dogs I had 3-4 mentors I worked with everyday, trained dogs full time, assisted with foster training classes before co-teaching, then leading the classes. After my stint training service dogs, I co-taught, then lead classes at an established dog training school while being mentored by their applied animal behaviorist on dog behavior issues. While of course reading books, going to workshops & seminars. I did not take on my first behavior case until I was 4 years in and that was with the guidance of the applied animal behaviorist.
Working with dog parents and their dogs is not something to take lightly & not something that someone should just jump into. We are talking about lives at stake, dogs & humans. Public safety and determining if a dog is a risk to himself or to others is unfortunately something professional dog trainers deal with on a regular basis. In the beginning of your dog training career, these cases should be referred to a more qualified professional. I am often scared for public safety when I see a new dog trainer taking these cases without the mentorship and experience I feel they should have.
I truly hope this did not discourage you, because this is a wonderful, although sometimes stressful career. Hope on the internet, start looking for local dog business that are hiring any position & interview. Order a few dog training books, dog behavior videos & get going. Dont forget to call your local animal shelter for volunteer opportunities. Good luck~
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