How to Become a Professional Dog Trainer?

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How to Become a Professional Dog Trainer?

Last Updated on March 16, 2022 by Dogs Vets

How to Become a Professional Dog Trainer?

Have you ever thought about working with dogs? Would you like to become a professional dog trainer? We tell you everything you need to know about how to become a dog trainer.

Nowadays there are many alternatives to becoming a professional dog trainer.

In addition, with all the new technologies, there are many advantages to attract more customers and improve income.

What is unquestionable is that the services of a dog trainer are more and more requested by both organizations and individuals.

How to become a dog trainer or dog educator?

Many dog lovers consider acquiring more knowledge about dog training. If you are considering making this option your profession, and you have to write my essay on this topic, you need to consider several questions:

What are the requirements to be a good dog trainer?
What skills do you need to develop to become a dog trainer?
What is the right qualification to become a dog trainer?

Read on to get the answers to all these questions.

Requirements to be a good dog trainer

First of all, if you want to become a dog trainer, you need to know some of the most important requirements that these professionals must meet:

Love dogs: This is an indispensable requirement; you have to love dogs.

Relate well with people: Keep in mind that, as a dog trainer, you will also have to work
with the dogs’ owners. In this sense, it is convenient to be sociable and have communication skills to know how to deal with people, since sometimes problems may arise with the owners of the animal.

Respect and consideration: It is important to treat both animals and people with respect, kindness, and trust.

Teaching skills: Vocation is very important, but it is important to keep in mind that being a dog trainer is not only teaching the dog; you also have to teach the owners of the pet. Therefore, it is important to have skills to teach people.

Have patience: Training a dog involves a whole process, and it is important to have patience and prioritize the welfare of the animal.

Skills to become a dog trainer

In addition to the requirements to become a dog trainer mentioned above, it is important to develop other skills to become a dog trainer:

To know the main dog training techniques.
To have the desire to learn new techniques and skills.
To broaden knowledge about animal behavior.
To develop critical thinking and creative thinking.
To have notions about canine first aid will mean greater peace of mind for the dog owners.

Qualification as a dog trainer

It is highly recommended to be certified, as having a dog trainer qualification can help you attract more clients.

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The certification confirms that you have the necessary knowledge and skills to practice the profession. It can be a good way to differentiate yourself from your competitors.

There are also other ways to acquire the knowledge needed to become a professional dog handler:

 

1. There are national or international seminars that already provide a lot of knowledge. The bad thing is that not all of them are official or approved.

2. You can go to dog training clubs with your dog. This is a way to learn on your own. However, you have to think that the learning process can be long and does not usually have the necessary continuity to acquire the knowledge most effectively.

3. Finally, you can look for specialized bibliography. You can learn in a self-taught way using books that tell you how to become a dog trainer. In this process, you can acquire a lot of knowledge, but you need a lot of discipline.

On the other hand, it is unquestionable that the knowledge will help you to be a good dog trainer, but probably the fact of not having a degree will make it more difficult to find clients.

Where are the courses given?

The dog trainer courses can be done in approved centers that have the necessary conditions. Some requirements that you can take as a reference are:

The student can demand to know, before the beginning of the course, which is going to be the training he/she is going to receive, and if this is endorsed by official institutions.

The course must have theoretical and practical contents.

The teacher must resolve any doubts the student may have.

The student must be provided with didactic material such as specialized bibliography, audiovisual material, and presentations by the teacher.

The training method taught must be respectful with the dog. That is to say, punishments should not be applied as teaching methods or other aggressive techniques with the dog.

Working as a dog trainer

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As we have indicated, the dog trainer degree allows you to better develop your professional career. With this qualification, you can work as an employee or be self-employed.

The places or activities in which you can work for others are:

Organizations and animal breeding companies.
Canine training.
Sports and recreational activities for dogs.
Canine residences.
Animal adoption centers.
Care of abandoned animals.

The knowledge obtained from the course can also be applied in veterinary clinics or pet stores.

The importance of internships

Before starting to work as a dog trainer, it is recommended that you do an internship to strengthen your skills in the job.

In them, you will be able to apply everything you have learned in the courses about the canine world. This will allow you to show more confidence in your work as a dog trainer, which will also help you to get more clients.

For internships you can:

Offer free services in training centers.
Go to dog shelters to volunteer and offer your services for free.

Offer your services at a discount or for free at the beginning.

 

Final words

To become a dog trainer, as we say, you have to love dogs. It is also a profession that requires a high dose of patience. Not in vain, training is a process that, sometimes and depending on each situation, could take longer than necessary.

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However, we assure you that there is no better reward than seeing that you have achieved your goal.

Finally, remember that you should not only be good with dogs, but also with their owners. It is advisable to have qualities such as empathy and interpersonal communication skills to work side by side with them.

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