So You Want to be a Dog Trainer

So You Want to be a Dog Trainer

Are you a dog lover who is considering turning your passion into
a profession? It takes more to be a trainer than a love of
dogs--here's the inside scoop from an experienced professional.

A dog trainer trains people to train their dogs. If you're not a
"people person," consider carefully whether this profession is
for you. You must have patience, compassion, excellent
communications skills, and be a good listener. Instructing
people can be fun and stimulating, but it can be challenging as
well. A sense of humor helps!

Learn about canine psychology and behavior. Seek out books
(www.phantompub.com specializes in books for dog trainers) and
familiarize yourself with basic learning theory as it applies to
dogs. Understanding maxims such as "That which is rewarded is
more likely to happen again" and "That which is ignored is
likely to extinguish on its own" will serve you well throughout
your work with basic training and behavioral issues. There are
many DVDs now available that were filmed at instructional
seminars for dog trainers, many of which include video footage
and/or live demonstrations; it's always easier to learn by
seeing theory in action. (Tawzer Dog Videos
www.tawzerdogvideos.com is known for having wide selection.)
Also, the Association of Pet Dog Trainers website (www.apdt.com)
has recommendations regarding educational materials for dog
trainers. And attending live seminars and conferences is another
excellent way to gain knowledge. There are some schools for dog
trainers, but be careful to check out their training methods.
One excellent school is the San Francisco SPCA Academy for Dog
Trainers (www.spca.org/academy).

Seek out hands-on experience. Volunteering for your local
shelter or rescue group is one of the best ways to get
comfortable handling a variety of breeds, and to learn about
behavior issues. It's also a crash course in learning to read
canine body language! Shelter and rescue work provide an
opportunity to practice your training skills, and you'll be
helping to make dogs more adoptable in the process. Apprenticing
under another trainer is another invaluable opportunity, if you
can find one in your area willing to take you on. Assist in
group classes, tag along to in-home sessions, and learn
everything you can. If there is a trainer's networking group in
your area, join, learn, and make friends; you'll get invaluable
advice as you proceed along your career path. Although there is
no license required to call oneself a professional dog trainer,
you should have a well-rounded education before opening a
business.

Learn about modern, positive training methods. There are two
major schools of thought regarding dog training: the
old-fashioned method, where one waits for the dog to make a
mistake and then punishes him, for example, by the jerk of a
choke chain. The other, modern, positive method makes use of the
tenets of canine psychology, and employs food treats and other
rewards. Dogs are set up to succeed and then rewarded when they
do the right thing. Of course, many trainers fall into the grey
area between these two, but seek out sources of information that
are geared toward positive training methods.

Take it slow. That applies to both building your business and
the cases you should accept. Business-wise, if you are currently
employed, start training as a part-time job and allow yourself
time to let both your business and your skills build.
Behavior-wise, take on only the cases you are comfortable with;
refer ones such as those involving aggression issues to more
experienced trainers until you are ready to handle them
yourself. With time, patience, perseverance, and experience,
your business as well as your competence level will increase.

Get certified. Eventually, once you have some experience under
your belt, take the test to become a Certified Pet Dog Trainer.
This designation is offered by the Certification Council for Pet
Dog Trainers (www.ccpdt.com).