So you are here because you love dogs and want to possibly start a career in training them. You can become a dog trainer and start your own dog training career in a short period of time. It can be a lucrative business once you make a name for yourself and people start trusting you. May be some day you can even host a show like Cesar Millan! or better yet create a YouTube channel full of followers!
How do I become a dog trainer?
Perhaps you want to learn exactly how to become a dog trainer so that you can make your own pooch more obedient. Maybe you have a passion for animals and would love to follow a new career path, training the pets of other people and running classes that many dog owners can take advantage of. In order to become a successful dog trainer, you need to have certain skills and some qualifications too.
So, where can I get a get a head start?
First, I suggest that you learn everything you can about the business. Find out if it is something that you really want to take up as a career. Here is one of the best selling pet business books that will provide you with tons of tips to become a dog trainer. You can learn everything that you need to know in order to run a pet business successfully. Even if you already have a pet business, information in this book can help you take your business to the next level.
What qualifications do I need to become a dog trainer?
You don’t need to study for years in order to become a dog trainer. However, being a good trainer can be achieved by undergoing some level of training yourself. It’s a good idea to take some classes to learn the tips and tricks of training dogs, but it isn’t entirely necessary.
You should get certified to become a dog trainer even though you are not required to do so. You can find tips about getting your dog training certification at Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers. It is unfortunate that there is no degree courses to become a dog trainer however you can obtain a degree in behavioral sciences and apply it towards your animal behaviorist certification.
Having some form of training can make it a lot easier to get business and make money as a dog trainer. When looking for classes, very few dog owners will be willing to place their trust in somebody who simply claims that they can train dogs without being able to show any proof of this. If you’re hoping to work for a dog training company, some level of training will look great on your resume and will certainly help you with getting the position.
What experience do I need?
It’s very difficult to gain the right level of knowledge from simply reading books and taking a two-day training course, so it’s important that you gain some experience in actually training dogs. Asking a friend if you can train their new puppy can be useful for you on a personal level, but this might not look so professional on your resume or in an advert.
Get in touch with a local dog training company and ask them if you can come along and volunteer for a few hours. Go with the attitude that they are doing a favor for you – even though you’re offering your time and help, they’re enabling you to get vital experience which will stay with you for the rest of your life.
What skills do I need?
Firstly, you need to have some form of affinity with the canine family. This doesn’t mean you need to have some kind of magical skill, but you should feel able to communicate somewhat with the dogs that you’ll be dealing with. This skill will be more valuable in your dog training career than any theoretical knowledge you have, and the best way to develop this is by spending plenty of time with dogs.
Dogs might be the only animals you’ll be dealing with in your career, but remember that you only need to take their owners into consideration. If you don’t have a sense of humor, good people skills and a way of motivating the owners during the training sessions, you’ll find that people will be reluctant to return for a second course of training with you.
Without confidence, you’ll struggle as a trainer if anything goes wrong. Dogs are well-known for dong the unexpected, especially when they’re just a few weeks or months old, so it’s important to have confidence to take the initiative and know what to do in unexpected situations.
Finally, if you’re going to work as a self-employed dog trainer, you need to ensure that you have the necessary business skills in order to make everything run smoothly. Since running a business and earning a living can be stressful, you might find a short business course very useful before starting – this will teach you basics about advertising, managing your finances and maintaining good customer relations.
