How to Become a Dog Trainer

Many dog lovers that wish to become canine professionals want to know how to become a dog trainer. There are many ways to get into the dog training profession. Most people just need a few ideas to get started, and they will carve an individual path to their career as a dog trainer.

Before you begin investing time and money into becoming a dog trainer, there are a few things you should consider. A dog training career is not for everyone, even if you love dogs.

• Do I like dogs? Obviously, a dog trainer should love spending most of their waking hours with all types of dogs. You must accept them for exactly what they are, and not attribute human failings to them such as being stubborn, vengeful or having selective hearing. To really know dogs is to really love them.

• Do I like people? You must enjoy talking to people in order to train dogs. Dogs live with people, and people pay you to train their dogs. It will not matter how talented you are at getting a dog to perform a behavior if you cannot transfer the training to the dog's owner.

• Do I like being outdoors? Dog trainers spend a lot of time outdoors as a rule. If you prefer a climate controlled environment, you may still be able to be a dog trainer, but your scope will be limited.

• Am I willing to work evenings and weekends? Dogs live with busy humans that typically work five days per week. This means that they prefer to train their dogs after they get home from work and on the weekends.

If you answered "no" to any of these questions, you may wish to reconsider a career training dogs. It is a fun job, but by no means easy. These questions deal with the bare minimum requirements for a successful dog trainer.

There are several avenues that a person can take to learn how to have a dog training career. Education is very important for becoming a respected professional, but there is also no substitute for handling a variety of dog breeds and interacting with different types of people. There are several ways to obtain education and hands-on experience.

If you are able to find a trainer that you admire, you may be able to work with her as an apprentice. Some trainers offer paid apprenticeships, some will allow you to work on a volunteer basis, and others may employ you. It all depends on the individual professional. This is a great way to gain knowledge about obedience and canine behavior while being mentored by a trainer you wish to emulate. You should also ask your trainer for referrals to different programs and other trainers to work with to give yourself a well-rounded education.

There are many dog training academies for people wishing to become dog trainers. Check for reviews and references before you pay thousands of dollars for their programs. Some of them are respected programs created by dog training professionals. Others may be scams created by someone with business savvy and the ability to sell classes.

Bear in mind that most of these schools and programs offer certificates of completion. This is not the same as being "certified" by an agency, and although this type of credential is certainly better than none, it will not carry the same weight as a certification earned through a peer group.

Some of the better known dog trainer schools are:

• Animal Behavior College

• Companion Animal Sciences Institute

• Karen Pryor Academy

Some of the bigger pet supply chains offer dog training, and will teach you to be a group obedience instructor. This path to dog training is probably the most cost effective because they pay you while you are going through their educational program.

It also gives you the opportunity to work with a variety of people and dogs. The drawback is that you will only be using one training method, and you will have to use the treats and methods used in the store's program. You will also be required to sell products during your training classes.

Exploring how to become a dog trainer is really quite easy, there is a large amount of information available. Actually beginning the work can be frustrating at times as you run into obstacles created by finances, time or geography. However, if dogs are your passion, keep working towards your career goal. Most things worth having require a lot of time and effort; this dog lover's dream job is no exception!

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