How Do You Become A Dog Trainer?
Have you ever thought about training dogs for a living, but didn’t know where to begin? Get the inside scoop from a successful professional trainer. • Consider whether you enjoy working with people as well as dogs. Many people get into the profession of dog training without realizing that what dog trainers do is really to train people to train dogs. You must have patience and empathy, and be as good a coach to your human clients (lots of positive reinforcement!) as you are to your dogs. • Get an education. There is no degree required to become a dog trainer, but you should attain both “book knowledge” and hands-on experience before offering your services to the public. Read books, attend seminars, watch DVDs. Get hands-on experience by mentoring under another trainer if possible, and volunteer to work at your local shelter or with rescue groups. Shelter/rescue work is a great way to get hands-on experience with dogs of various breeds and temperament. Consider whether you want to teach
