If you are pondering a career in dog training, there are a lot of things to consider. Some dog trainers work only based on their experience, others are certified and a third group have received shorter or longer schooling in order to pursue a career in dog training. The best route for you depend on a wide range of different factors, such as your previous experience, which type of trainer you wish to become and if there are any particular rules regarding professional dog training in your area. You may for instance need a licence or proof of formal dog training education.
Which type of career in dog training would suit you best?
Do you prefer to work together with the owner of the dog instruct the dog owner as well as the dog itself? Or do you prefer to work alone with the dog for most of the time? Different dog owners prefer different types of dog trainers. Some people wish to participate in the training so that they can learn more about how to continue the training of their dog at home. Others prefer to leave their dog with a trainer and let the trainer do most of the work without the owner present. They will then receive basic instructions from the dog trainer about how to handle their dog at the end of the dog training course.
If you are interested in a career in dog training you should ideally gain some experience from both types of training, e.g. by asking professionals dog trainers if you may be present when he or she trains a dog. By visiting several dog trainers who use different techniques, you will hear and experience more about the pros and cons of both methods. You can then make a more informed decision regarding which type of training you wish to focus on during your career in dog training. This insight may for instance be of vital importance when you are trying to choose a school or course.
Pets or professional dogs?
Do you wish to carry out basic obedience training for pet dogs or do you wish to train professional dogs? Today, all sorts of dog trainers are needed. A lot of dog owners need assistance when it comes to basic training of their pet dogs, e.g. teaching the dog how to behave while on a leash, how to behave indoors, how to behave around other animals etcetera. Dog trainers are also needed to train highly specialised professional dogs. Professional dogs work in various fields, including customs where they locate drugs and catastrophe sites where they find wounded persons trapped among debris. Professional dogs can also serve as invaluable aids to disabled persons and even detect low blood sugar in individuals suffering from diabetes.
If you wish to pursue a career in dog training it is a good idea to learn more about these various fields, i.e. pet training as well as professional training. In addition to basic obedience training and training of professional dogs, there are today many dog owners who wish to learn more about how to compete with their dogs, e.g. in agility. Dogs are also used for finding mushrooms during Sunday excursions, fetching the paper etcetera. This does not count as basic obedience training, but is still not really within the scope of professional dogs either. Its an interesting area which attracts more and more dog trainers each year.
