Dog Training Career: What is Involved?

A dog training career may be just right for you, if you love working with dogs. Dogs of all ages, from puppies to older dogs, need training, and their owners often don’t know how to train them. They look for a professional dog trainer to do the job.
If you are thinking of a dog training career, you might want to start by practicing on your own dog. If you are good at training your dog, you might be good at training other people’s dogs. But if training your dog leaves you frustrated and drained, then becoming a dog trainer might not be the best career for you.
When you are training dogs, you are actually training the owners more than the dogs, so you need to be good with people to consider a dog training career. People are not at their best when they are frustrated or embarrassed by their dog’s behavior. Will you be able to deal with these distraught owners calmly, while at the same time tending to their dogs? Give this some thought.
Consider volunteering to help out at a dog training class at your local shelter. You will get a feel for what is involved in a dog training career. If you are good, the teacher may let you teach a segment of the class. This will be your trial by fire. If you do a good job, then you can move forward with your training.
You can prepare for a dog training career in several ways.
1. Attend a school specifically for those interested in a dog training career. There are many schools and seminars available. Be sure to get lots of hands on training.
2. Become an intern or apprentice to a dog trainer in your area. This way, you can learn dog training on the job.
3. Become a certified dog trainer. Do a search on the internet for dog training certification programs.
Once you have the proper education in dog training, starting your business should be easy. Decide if you want to work with individual clients in their homes or offer dog training classes. It is a good idea to offer a combination of both. By advertising your dog training classes, people who want individual help training their dogs will hear about you too. Soon your dog training career will be off to a great start.
Check around in your area for facilities where you can hold the dog training classes. Often the local humane society will have space for classes, or you could check with dog day care facilities. In warm weather, you may be able to hold your classes outdoors.
Advertise your services by leaving brochures about your training program with veterinarians, dog supply stores, and pet shelters. This way, your advertising will not cost you much.
Congratulations! You have followed the steps above and have a thriving dog training career. You love dogs and are working with them every day. For a dog lover and a natural teacher, you have found the ideal business to be in.