A lot of people love dogs. For those who want to make a profession or career out of it, it helps to know that you can turn your love of these friendly pets into a career. But what you can expect with this job and what is a typical dog trainer salary? Nowadays, there are many individuals who love owning dogs. Unfortunately, not everyone has the knowledge and the patience to train their pets to behave well at home and around other people. This is where the importance of a dog trainer comes into play. Although they usually work with dogs, trainers also work with pet owners. They help pet owners and provide them with valuable information while teaching their dogs useful skills at the same time.

Working as a dog trainer is definitely a difficult job. You cannot just become a dog trainer overnight. There are certain skills that you have to posses. For instance, how do you handle a wild, rowdy dog? How do you tame him? How do you build the foundation for learning tricks? Being a trainer requires certain skills, and you need some knowledge of animal behaviour. But apart from the ability to train dogs, you also need patience, determination, and a sincere love for animals for you to succeed in this kind of career.

Tasks of a Dog Trainer

A dog trainer has various tasks and responsibilities. These greatly vary depending on whether you decide to work at an obedience school or as a freelance trainer. For one, it is the task of the dog trainer to observe the behaviour of the dog and then assess it. Based on the observations, the trainer will determine which specific solutions will suit the dog or which methods will be best for correcting the incorrect behaviour. Aside from these tasks, dog trainers also schedule and conduct private lessons. The purpose of these lessons is to teach owners how they can effectively train their dogs, and the dog gets a one-on-one chance to work without other dogs around as a distraction. When pet owners know how to relate to and train their dogs, they can establish better relationships and communication.

Dog Trainer Salary Information

In deciding to work as a dog trainer, you probably want to know how much you can possibly earn. Based on a report released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in May 2018, the mean yearly salary of an animal trainer amounts to $31,030. The highest-paid animal trainers earn as much as $52,460. On the other hand, the lowest earnings amount to about $17,570. The salary of a dog trainer will highly depend on things like location and skill level.

Career Information

In training dogs, there are various techniques that need to be utilized. Dog trainers have to teach dogs basic skills like listening to commands, sitting, and remaining calm, and some owners want their dogs to learn tricks as well. Dogs can also be taught to be of assistance to people who have disabilities. When dogs are properly trained, they can respond to vocal commands or even simple movements. It’s a dog trainer’s job to help in teaching them these things. In addition to that, dog trainers often have to observe and evaluate the behaviour of the dog and record any improvements or any other relevant details.

In working as a dog trainer, you deal with various people as well, including frustrated owners. As such, it’s crucial for you to have strong communication skills. Dog trainers should also be creative and innovative. They should research and create new techniques that can be used to train dogs more effectively.

What Are the Education Requirements?

If you want to work as a dog trainer, the good news is that there’s no need for you to have a college degree. It’s easiest to work as a dog trainer by acquiring on-the-job training for yourself. For instance, you can go to a vocational school or you can go to a community college to acquire training, or you can volunteer with animals to gain experience and show you work well with them, which makes it more likely for an obedience school to hire you. Through these courses, you can learn so many things that you need as a dog trainer. Courses can teach you the commands, basic things you need to know about dogs, theories, and even safety procedures. Aside from these things, you can also learn animal care management, dog obedience training, animal science, nutrition, and a whole lot more.

Certification

To work as a dog trainer, you don’t necessarily need to possess a dog training certification. However, although it is not really required, it can be useful, especially because you can learn many things when you undergo training. To secure employment and to get more clients, it definitely helps a lot if you have certification. Clients and potential employers will definitely choose a dog trainer who has proof of these skills over one who doesn’t. The Association of Professional Dog Trainers is one well-known, accredited place to earn your certification.

Is This Job for You?

Before you finally decide to work as a dog trainer, there are many things that you have to keep in mind. Even if you’re a dog lover, that doesn’t necessarily mean that you can work as a dog trainer. You need to have extreme patience and you need to posses the training skills in order to teach dogs. Keep in mind that working as a dog trainer is never an easy task. You have to think of the different dog breeds that you have to work with as well as the pet owners you have to deal with.

Being a dog trainer can sure be a fun and thrilling job. But this is not a profession for everyone. If you think you can handle the requirements and you really have a passion for this kind of career, you should pursue it. Having this job has its own pros and cons. You just have to weigh your options and remember that you get to learn so many things about pets and can help pet owners and dogs in the process.