Training dogs is not a piece of cake but it can definitely be a very fulfilling job if you do it well.
It might come up as a hobby, you might buy your own dog and decide to train him. Once you have all the info you need to know on the subject, you start working on your dog and everything is going great. He learns tricks, he listens to you, other people praise you and you get to wondering if you could do this for a living.
Knowing how to teach a dog some tricks could be a good base for becoming a dog trainer, but it is for sure not enough.
First of all, you need to know that you should get a certification. This means following a course and taking an exam as well. A good program will not only give you the basics but take you even deeper into the following: the history of dog training, dog behavior, animal learning and also a topic where you learn how to design you own classes.
Like any good training program, make sure that the one you choose gives you theoretical information but also the opportunity to practice on various types of dogs. Also, just a few days of training yourself will not be enough. Of course, your skills will also improve with time and experience, but make sure that you get as much information as you can from your course.
Also, a good opportunity to learn is being an apprentice for a more experienced dog trainer. Find a mentor that is willing to teach you what his experience has taught him, is open minded, eager to learn even more and uses humane training methods.
Another opportunity to deal with plenty of dog breeds, personalities and difficult cases is to volunteer with an animal shelter. Here you will find scared dogs, aggressive ones and many other types of dogs that will allow you to learn a lot about how to handle more difficult situations.
Once you are well prepared, you can start to think if you want to be self-employed or get hired by an existing business.
If you choose to be self-employed, you need to think about the expenses that this job implies. You might need a training room, unless you train the dogs at their owner?s house. Next, think about buying treats, a clicker, a collar, or anything else you might want to use during the trainings.
In the meantime, think about your regular expenses, like rent, utilities, groceries, and also extra money for going out or other activities you enjoy. After doing so, try to estimate how much you will need to charge for training one dog.
When you advertise for your business, make sure you are transparent and do not raise your client?s expectations higher than they should be. If you are very good in house training a dog, then start by offering this service and then start adding new services.
Even if you have a hard time once in a while, being a dog trainer will bring you a lot of satisfaction for sure, so it is worth the time and investment.
There are a lot of people interested in becoming dog trainers, but most of them just jump in and forget the basic rules. If you are looking to make a career out of training dogs for a living, then these tips might come in handy.
1. Patience
Just like children, dogs can get easily distracted. When training a canine friend to do the things that you want him to do, you need to understand that there are some rules and boundaries to every relationship that you create with the pet. If the dog is full of energy, you need to arm yourself with a lot of patience. These dogs need a lot of time to break them in. The same applies with old dogs. The saying ?You can?t teach an old dog new tricks? is actually accurate in many cases.
2. Resistance
In this business, you will encounter all dog sizes. You will not be dealing with only small sized pooches. You will encounter a lot of big sized dogs as well. In order to face them, you will need to train your body. As we said, dogs can be quite unpredictable. A small fur ball jumping on you will make you giggle, but a king sized Caucasian Sheppard will take you down in an instant. Not only that, but you will need to know how to defend yourself in case things escalate.
3. Psychology
You will be surprised, but there are psychology classes destined for dog trainers. Within these classes, you will learn how to dominate an animal with the help of your voice and look. Before you will get the opportunity to train a dog, you will need to master this silent art. It actually helps a lot when it comes to dogs that can be triggered from a simple move.
4. Approach
The key to a successful dog training career is the way you approach these animals. Before you meet the animal in person, make sure that you get some information beforehand. Analyze the animal from a distance and try to look for soft spots. Ask the owner about the dog?s behavior towards strangers or his acceptance level. With the information you receive, you will know exactly what you need to do and how you can approach the dog.
These are more like rules to any dog trainer. If you follow them right, you will not have to worry about escalated situations or any type of accidents. Just make sure that you are truly devoted to this career before you get started and things will go smoothly.
