How to Become a Dog Trainer - Helpful Tips for Starters

Becoming a dog trainer is without a doubt a lucrative business if you know how to get into the business of dog training and start providing the much needed services for the ever increasing population of dog lovers who are in need of the professional assistance of dog trainers. Because there are no specific institutions or lay-down path that would-be trainers are meant to follow in order to become certified dog trainer therefore the burden of becoming a professional trainer rest squarely on the shoulders of the would-be dog trainer. This means that he will have to find out the steps that will lead him to his dream of becoming a professional trainer.

As a would-be dog trainer you should know that training is essentially a service profession which means that you will be working a lot with the person that own the dog and in actual fact the profession involves training the people who own the dogs as much as providing training for the dogs. For this reason, a good human relation is an essential part of the requirement for the would-be dog trainer because if you fail in your relationship with the dog owners than you can as well kiss the career goodbye.

Those who are employed as dog trainers are essentially self taught, which means that they have attended seminars, convention and workshops, read extensively about dog ethology and probably mentored by other established trainers.

A would-be trainer should at least be knowledgeable in the following area:

Dog training history from around the late 19th century till date. Training for other animals in comparison and contrast with dog training.
Animal learning which includes positive and negative punishment, positive and negative reinforcement, motivation, conditioned reinforces, desensitization and sensitization. Comparison of human learning to dog learning.
Dog behavior - genetics of behavior, body language, breed characteristics, ethology and dog development, social development, hormonal influence, social signals.
How to design his course materials for training, how to motivate dog owners, ability to screen and steer his clients and how to effectively counsel his clients.
To become a successful trainer it is very important to mentor under the leadership of an established trainer regardless of how knowledgeable you may be. Apprenticeship affords you the opportunity to work with experienced trainers and a wide variety of dogs which you will encounter in the course of your career as a trainer. Also by volunteering to work with local and shelter rescue groups you will be able to gain insight into a wide range of dog breeds and personalities. However when deciding on a trainer to mentor you, ensure that he is committed to improving his own education and that he is dedicated to human methods of training.