How does one become a dog trainer?

[greekblue]

Hi all,
I would like to learn to become a dog trainer -- maybe for just the summers while I am in school, I would love to work in a dog training, helper position, or something like that. Not just cleaning poo though. I want to seriously get involved with dog training.

Does anyone know how does one become a dog trainer and how do you start??

[borzoimom]

I am certified and thI will pm you where I went. There are several and if you are looking for summer time classes- it might fit in the time frame. Depends on the area you are interested in. Going to schools like this takes time and of course- money for expenses etc.
If you do not want to attend a school, maybe other ideas like working with a trainer in your area that runs classes, or dog training schools etc to contact them.

[LilacDragon]

Honestly - time and experience.

I don't know exactly how to say this without offending anyone and I really, really don't want to offend anyone but here goes.

While classes and a certificate may be important - a trainer is asked to help people with a wide variety of issues dealing with a wide variety of stressers from a wide variety of breeds of dogs. And what works on one dog, may be the exact opposite of what is needed for the next dog. Someone with a ton of dog experience can pick up subtle differences in body language and behaviour that someone with less experience might miss.

Something else I want to know when I am looking for a trainer is what methods they use. Do they subscribe to one particular method? Do they insist that your dog can do fine on one type of collar? I think that a well rounded trainer uses several methods together and is willing and able to evaluate what works best with a particular dog.

I also want to know how many dogs a trainer has titled and how many clients have titled dogs under their tutelage.

[ewarp]

I know a lot of people will recommend ABC- Animal Behavior College.

Quite frankly, I'm unimpressed. I've had about 10 different students do their "internships" with me. Half flunked the oral exam I give them (which consists of questions like, "How would you handle a dog that jumps on people?"), others had no idea about appropriate use of pinch collars or gentle leaders. One told me that to get your dog to stop pulling, you should just say "No pull," no further actions required. It seems that their education can really be hit or miss, so I don't know that I recommend it.

Experience. Find a trainer you like, and work with them. You can learn something from everyone.

[greekblue]

I am sorry, I think I am a little confused
I checked the link you sent me, but there is only one center "near" me -- 50 miles away! If I find nothing else, I might try it.

Then, do you all say that what I need to do is find a good, reputable dog trainer and go there and say, "Hi, I want to become a dog trainer; can you teach me?" Is that what you are saying?

I am sorry if I have misunderstand you. I just need some more clarification.

[Cassiepeia]

How about a bit of everything?
Read as much material as you can (books, written by dog trainers, about different techniques etc...) so you have a good basis in the theory.
Get a job or volunteer somewhere where you can interact and handle lots of different dogs of different breeds and crosses (shelters, boarding kennels etc).
Enroll in a dog training course, but keep an open mind.
Approach a few dog trainers, let them know what you're doing and what you know so far and see if they'll let you learn from them...and when you get your pup...work hard, get titles, have living proof right there snoring away on your living room couch that you know how to train a dog.

You might even want to pupnap some of your friends dogs and work your magic on them.

And then seek a job with a trainer.

Of course, all this is coming from someone who isn't a trainer...but I hope it still has some value.

Cass.

[LilacDragon]

Originally Posted by greekblue

I am sorry, I think I am a little confused
I checked the link you sent me, but there is only one center "near" me -- 50 miles away! If I find nothing else, I might try it.

Then, do you all say that what I need to do is find a good, reputable dog trainer and go there and say, "Hi, I want to become a dog trainer; can you teach me?" Is that what you are saying?

I am sorry if I have misunderstand you. I just need some more clarification.

Honestly - I don't think that being a dog trainer is something you can learn in a class. And it is not something you can learn in a few weeks.

First, you need to attend classes with your new puppy and put an advanced obedience title on her.

Then - find a trainer willing to mentor you.

Put more titles on more dogs.

IMHO - there is a lot that a trainer needs to know that can not be taught in a class. These are things that take years of hands on experience.

Think about it this way - if you were going to take a class with your pup which teacher would you want?

Teacher A - doesn't really have a lot of dog experience but took a 6 week course with 20 other people.

or

Teacher B - has trained, trialed and titled her own dogs for several years. She knows several different methods of training - clicker, positive reinforcement, etc and knows the advantages, disadvantages and proper use and fitting of several different type of collars.

[Dogsareme]

I have to say I think it really depends too on where you are from and your town it's self.

For example in my town, I could pretty much say probably only one person here would care enough to TITLE there dog, the rest of them just want a dog that listens and is well behaved. Most people are not trying to go far with their dog, just trying to live with it.

Also certified trainer or not, you will never know everything there is about dog training as it is an on going learning experience. You need to have an open mind and can never think one method fixes all, you have to be able to vary your methods and think on the spot when something is not working. Also you have to vary your method depending on the person you are working with. If the person is not very patient, you should not be trying the most patient trying method. If the person needs a quick fix because they might lose there dog say for barking... then you may have to use more abrassive methods then you normally like to fix this quickly for the sake of the dog and owner and then have them working on the side on a not so abrassive method that will work better in the long run.

There is alot to know, and I don't think any one school can teach it all. I took the ABC course and passed with flying colors, and personally I think it had alot to do with my mentor trainer and how we did it. I did not go and just "observe" group classes and then try to help. I thought that would of taught me nothing and right out told the school that was not how I wanted to do my intership. (plus I was one of those students who read alot of extra material and really tried to soak up every bit of knowledge I could). My intership went great. I stayed with the lady for 4 weeks. She ran an SPCA out of her home and I worked with ALL of those dogs. I also helped her on aggression cases, and asked a million question (which I never would of gotten the chance to do if I was only observing group classes). I read alot of the extra material she had on hand, watch a bunch of movies for dog training she had. My oral exam consisted of actually 'training' a lady and her dog. It was really great and honestly I learned more then I hoped for. I think the problem with some ABC students is they don't take it seriously and can easily cheat on the tests and that is what some do just so they can say they are dog trainers. It's pretty sad. But when it comes down to actually showing what you learned you cannot cheat that thank goodness.

[Novel]

Originally Posted by Dogsareme

I have to say I think it really depends too on where you are from and your town it's self.

For example in my town, I could pretty much say probably only one person here would care enough to TITLE there dog, the rest of them just want a dog that listens and is well behaved. Most people are not trying to go far with their dog, just trying to live with it. .

But... even if I want a dog that only has good manners, I would still prefer someone that has titled their dog, as proof that they know what they're doing, and can teach it to others (people that have titled under their tuteledge).

Which mechanic would I rather go to? The mechanic that I fixes cars, or one that has built a car, races it and wins competitions...

[Dogsareme]

Originally Posted by Novel

But... even if I want a dog that only has good manners, I would still prefer someone that has titled their dog, as proof that they know what they're doing, and can teach it to others (people that have titled under their tuteledge).

Which mechanic would I rather go to? The mechanic that I fixes cars, or one that has built a car, races it and wins competitions...

hehe, well I have to say all my mechanics I go to have never built, or raced there cars :P
But I hear what your saying. But you would really, REALLY have to come and see my town to understand what I am saying. Unfortunatly most people here are living in the medieval times with there dogs. When I tell them I do Positive Reinforcement Training, they say "What?". When I start to explain that I don't use forceful methods, such as hitting (most agree), Pushing the dog into position (alot ask, "how does it work then?") choke chains (most then ask how they proced to stop there dog from pulling). We really are out of the times here. It honestly is like another world compared to what you all live in. Like Dog parks for example...most people here have never heard of those. Doggy Day Care? The normal response is "what is the world coming too!". And a breeder, the normal response is "my neighbours a breeder, she breeds Shih-Tzu/Poms". The town does not know what purebreeds are, and those that do believe that you never own one because they have to many health problems. Outside dog are all to common around here too. You spoil your dog if they are allowed inside the house. It really is like we are on a whole other planet with dogs here where I live. That's why I said, "depending on where you live."

[Cassiepeia]

Originally Posted by Dogsareme

hehe, well I have to say all my mechanics I go to have never built, or raced there cars :P
But I hear what your saying. But you would really, REALLY have to come and see my town to understand what I am saying. Unfortunatly most people here are living in the medieval times with there dogs. When I tell them I do Positive Reinforcement Training, they say "What?". When I start to explain that I don't use forceful methods, such as hitting (most agree), Pushing the dog into position (alot ask, "how does it work then?") choke chains (most then ask how they proced to stop there dog from pulling). We really are out of the times here. It honestly is like another world compared to what you all live in. Like Dog parks for example...most people here have never heard of those. Doggy Day Care? The normal response is "what is the world coming too!". And a breeder, the normal response is "my neighbours a breeder, she breeds Shih-Tzu/Poms". The town does not know what purebreeds are, and those that do believe that you never own one because they have to many health problems. Outside dog are all to common around here too. You spoil your dog if they are allowed inside the house. It really is like we are on a whole other planet with dogs here where I live. That's why I said, "depending on where you live."

You just described most of Australia.

Cass.

[greekblue]

[Like Dog parks for example...most people here have never heard of those. Doggy Day Care? The normal response is "what is the world coming too!". And a breeder, the normal response is "my neighbours a breeder, she breeds Shih-Tzu/Poms". The town does not know what purebreeds are, and those that do believe that you never own one because they have to many health problems. Outside dog are all to common around here too. You spoil your dog if they are allowed inside the house. It really is like we are on a whole other planet with dogs here where I live. That's why I said, "depending on where you live."]

[You just described most of Australia. ]



And Greece -- although I live in California now.

[flyndog]

If their car is broken, most people want someone who knows how to fix it so they can get back on the road. They don't need someone to tell them how their car works or how fast they can drive it on a closed track.

Titling a dog can be a good experience, but that is not a guarantee that an individual is a good trainer for other people or other people's dogs. I titled a dog and it was a terrible experience for both of us. I hated the ring, the people in it and the way they treated their dogs. It took a long time before I learned that the whole obedience world was not like my club and my area. There are lots of people with titled dogs that are terrible trainers and terrible teachers. People title dogs for sport, for their own enjoyment. If you want to title a dog, then yes, you want a trainer with ring experience.

Most people just want their dog to stop pulling on the leash and jumping up on people. You don't need a trainer who titled a TD for that.

To become a dog trainer invest time and money into studying behavior, ethology, learning theory, how to teach adults, husbandry, equipment and training methods. Train your own dog to a competitive level. Go to seminars, listen to lots of other trainers, keep an open mind and keep learning. Ask to work with a trainer you admire, work with shelter dogs. Handle hundreds of different dogs. Love people AND dogs.

[Cassiepeia]

Love people AND dogs.

And here is the most difficult aspect of the job.

Cass.

[greekblue]

Ok. I do not think I explained what I actually want. I want to work for a dog trainer simply for getting the experience, I want to become a dog trainer because I love dogs and I want to know the most I can about them and training (I am already reading stuff), plus, that would be a fun job during college, but I am almost certain, I would not want that to be my forever profession, but I would like to be able to use my knowledge and experience when needed. And if I show my dog, I want to know how to be her handler. A job as a dog trainer would give me the experience I want, but I would not necessarily use it later as a permanent profession. I would love to vollunteer, but I cannot afford it at this time (money and time is short). But maybe I would do it sometime later.

I also wish to be able to find another job (other than dog training, that is different) that would allow me to have my dog with me -- too much dreaming!