As my good friend Melvin used to say, “everybody’s a dog trainer”. As a trainer that has spent my entire adult life working with dogs in some capacity, I find it unusual that dog trainers seem to be coming out of the woodwork to hang their shingle. For the past few years we have been inundated with calls and emails from people looking to escape the corporate life and enter the wonderful world of dogs.
Many of those calls are similar. The caller wants to become a dog trainer after they retire from GM or other large companies. We smile and think to ourselves, yes…after we retire as dog trainers, we will go and just work at GM.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I think the pursuit of your dream is one goal that everyone should aspire to. To work with and for dogs has been the delight of my life and I consider myself one of the fortunate ones that combines business with pleasure on a daily basis. There is a combination of education and experience that comes into the scenario and of course a love of people. You heard that right…a love of people. Dog trainers spend the majority of their time with the owners of our fabulous canine scholars, not necessarily the dogs themselves. Of course, there are some trainers that take dogs into their home to train them, but most of us teach private lessons or group classes and then send our furry friends on their way.
To be an effective dog trainer, you need to wear many hats. Although you will be expected to be educated in dog breeds, nutrition, behavior, and even certain dog sports, it is the human side that gets both complicated and interesting. Don’t go into dog training unless you like people. All people. It is not for us to judge our clients, it is up to us to educate them. Meeting people from a variety of backgrounds is what I love the most about my job. The one thing they have in common, they all love their dogs!
While trainers all need to understand the basics of dog behavior, and how to teach skills such as sit, stay, down and come when called, they also need to wear the hat of a counselor. After working with people and their dogs since 1972, it is clear that this hat is the most important and is what sets apart the trainers who make this their life’s work from those that think dog training consists of getting the perfect sit. It is the counselor hat that comes into use in almost every scenario.
Dog trainers are dealing with much more than the perfect recall, they are often involved in dog custody issues, dogs behavior disrupting the home, helping to pick a new pet, introducing the dog to the new baby and sometimes even re-homing issues. Sometimes we are just lending an ear to someone that needs us when they are grieving the loss of their pet, especially when they have a new canine addition who is just not the same.
Having a good understanding of learning theory can be utilized not only for the dogs, but also for our clients. It is always amazing to see trainers click and treat the dogs, but never do the same for the dog owner. A little bit of encouragement and praise can go a long way when teaching skills to adults as well as dogs.
Which brings us to another important fact. Dog trainers are teachers. This is another hat that might seem obvious but can get complicated. As teachers, we need to show our clients how it is done, not do it ourselves. Some very effective dog trainers are less effective as teachers. It is important to not only understand how to get the desired result from the dog, but also how to inspire and motivate our clients. We need to be able to decipher how our clients learn best – by watching or doing or a combination.
We also need to be able to adjust ourselves to our clients skill level and keep things on a positive note while they are learning what is needed to teach their dogs how to sit when asked. Dealing with frustration is quite common, and adjusting things so the dog owner feels they have information needed is key. If our clients don’t understand our instruction, we need to be able to switch gears quickly. It is not in anyone’s best interest to simply repeat the instruction for the 49th time; we need to sort out another way to explain it. After all, we are the teachers.
Another hat is one of businessperson. If you go out on your own as a trainer, it is important to take a night school business class, or educate yourself on the running your own business. Then of course there is the hat of janitor. Yes…you will always have a mop in your hand when you work with dogs, it is one of the tools of the trade. How about the hats of web site manager or marketing department. The list can be extensive.
When the calls come in for people wanting to be a dog trainer, it is very common for them not to have their own dog. While there might be some people that can teach the skill of dog training to their clients without living with a dog in their home, it seems to lack some credibility. It would be like taking golf lessons from someone that had taken a few lessons in the past, but doesn’t own a set of clubs and doesn’t play the game anymore. It just sounds unusual. As I like to say, “there is simply no substitute for experience”, so while getting some education is great, you cant rest there.
The day to day living with our own dogs is always a learning experience. Our own dog stories can be shared, and we can see that we are all in the same boat. Trainers might have the skills to deal with situations as they come up, but they still come up. We have all had our fair share of housetraining issues and dogs that would prefer to chase a leaf than to come when called. That not only keeps us humble…it keeps us smiling at our dogs, which is the best feeling of all.
So, you still want to be a dog trainer, but don’t know how to start. I would suggest you start by training your own dog. Get into some classes to give you the basic (and advanced) skills. Consider doing tricks, rally or dog sports. Heck, the least you will end up with will be spending quality time with your own canine buddy. Attending workshops and seminars on any dog topic is also another great way to keep up your education. Some training schools have an apprenticeship program that you can pay for. Some schools take in assistants to help in their classes. Either way a mentoring program is the best way to learn and get some experience.
One of the great things about being a dog trainer, or dog-training assistant, is that you can do it part time. There are a lot of dog trainers, in fact it might be the majority, that work at dog training schools or clubs just one evening a week. They are involved in the world of dogs, can often take classes with their own dogs for a reduced fee and can make some pocket money while doing what they love. I know some trainers that spend their day in the hectic pace of a 9-5 day job, and love teaching dog classes. For them, it is a much needed energy boost to their week. Keep in mind, even part time trainers need to focus on education and experience.
As you can see, becoming a dog trainer is more than knowing how to teach a dog to sit or stay. It takes compassion, kindness, a good dog education and a genuine love of people. I encourage you to all follow your heart. One of our trainers said it best when she looked out amongst the latest group of puppies in class, “this is my bliss”.
