7 Tips on How to Become a Professional Dog Trainer
You can’t teach an old dog new tricks — at least that’s the common belief among many owners. The truth is that most dogs can, in fact, learn new tricks. Many adult dogs are actually easier to train than their younger counterparts. If you have a knack for training dogs, regardless of age, you should consider a career as a professional dog trainer. Professional dog trainers satisfy an important need in the lives of many owners. As a professional dog trainer, you can help owners teach their dogs recall and other obedience commands. Here are seven tips on how to become a professional dog trainer.
#1) Practice With Friends’ and Family Members’ Dogs
Practicing with dogs owned by your friends and family members will allow you to refine your training processes. If you know a friend or family member who’s having trouble training their dog, see if they are interested in your help. It never hurts to ask. Most friends and family members, of course, will gladly take you up on the offer, especially if they are struggling to train their dog by themself. After getting some experience under your belt, you can then pursue a career as a professional dog trainer.
#2) Seek an Apprenticeship
You should consider seeking an apprenticeship. Many pet supplies stores, as well as dog training businesses, offer apprenticeships An apprenticeship is similar to an internship. It’s a program in which you shadow and observe a professional while he or she performs their job. Some apprenticeships include hands-on work as well. During an apprenticeship, you’ll be able to watch other professional dog trainers, giving you invaluable insight into this career.
#3) Get Certified
There are certifications available for professional dog trainers. The Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT), for instance, offers a certification program. Launched in 2001, it’s one of the largest and most esteemed certification programs for professional dog trainers. There’s also the Association of Professional Dog Trainers (APDT). The APDT offers its own certification program for professional dog trainers.
While certification isn’t necessary — you don’t have to become certified to work as a professional dog trainer — it can help you attract clients. Certification shows prospective clients that you are knowledgeable and experienced with training dogs. When choosing between you and another professional dog trainer who isn’t certified, prospective clients will likely choose you.
#4) Focus on Owners, Not Dogs
It may sound counterproductive, but you shouldn’t focus on teaching dogs. Instead, you should focus on teaching owners how to train their dogs. Owners often seek professional dog trainers so that they can train their dogs. Maybe an owner wants to train his or her dog a recall command, or perhaps an owner wants to train his or her dog to fetch. As a professional dog trainer, you can show owners how to train their dogs these and other related commands.
#5) Volunteer at an Animal Shelter
For additional experience, you may want to volunteer at an animal shelter. Research shows that over 3 million dogs end up in an animal shelter each year in the United States. While some of these dogs have already been trained, many have not. As a result, animal shelters often seek the services of dog trainers. You can volunteer at an animal shelter to gain experience. After volunteering for a while, the animal shelter may even offer you a part-time or full-time job.
#6) Apply for a Job
When you’re ready to begin, you can apply for a job as a professional dog trainer. Which places hire professional dog trainers exactly? Many pet supplies stores hire professional dog trainers. You can contact some of the pet supplies stores in your area to see if they have any openings for professional dog trainers. There are businesses, of course, that specialize in dog training services as well. They typically operate as teams of highly skilled and qualified professional dog trainers. Some of these specialized businesses operate out of a brick-and-mortar location, whereas others visit their clients’ homes to train their dogs.
To increase your chances of getting hired as a professional dog trainer, follow these tips:
- Prepare a resume that details all of your experience, training and certifications.
- Search for job openings using online classified ads.
- Network with other professional dog trainers.
- Don’t give up. Apply for a job at multiple businesses.
#7) Consider Starting Your Own Business
While you should typically start your dog training career by working for another business, you may eventually want to start your own business. Starting your own dog training business will give you the freedom to build your own list of clients while setting your own prices. Many professional dog trainers prefer to work for themselves. With your own business, you’ll have complete control. With that said, it’s typically best to work for an existing business before starting your own dog training business.
