Like any other important skill, becoming a professional dog trainer can’t be learned overnight. It takes time and a great deal of hands-on experience with dogs and their owners. But there are some things you can do to get started on the path of becoming a professional Puppy trainers near me.
Experts recommend the following:
- Attend seminars, workshops and conferences on dog training and behavior. These programs are usually relatively inexpensive and they allow the participants to get first-hand information from recognized experts in the field. Seminars and workshops may last from 1-4 days and cover topics such as breed development, raising a puppy, housetraining, crate training, obedience, problem solving techniques, counseling and teaching skills, canine health and nutrition, dealing with aggressive dogs, and many other topics. Taking numerous courses from various experts gives a participant a good grounding in training dogs and provides the information they need to relate to clients.
- Joining professional dog training organizations and attending professional conferences also help a beginning dog trainer lean the profession and make the contacts they need to succeed.
- Universities also offer dog training courses. Cornell University, Guelph University and Tufts University are three schools that offer dog training courses.
- You should also read books on the subject of dog training and dog development. Read as much as possible but don’t believe everything you read. Remember that every author has his own viewpoint. When you read about one training technique you should also read other authors who practice different techniques. Being well-read in dog matters, in general, will help you as an all-around dog person. And, you should read more than just dog training material. Familiarize yourself with dog books on breeds, nutrition, canine sports — every aspect of dogs. You are considering making dogs your life’s work. Become an expert on them.
- Watch videos of other trainers to observe their approaches to training. Again, you don’t have to agree with everything you see, but you should be aware of what’s going on in the dog world.
- Read various magazines about dogs and dog training. Never pass up a free dog magazine! Subscribe to the ones that pertain to dog training issues that concern you. Be familiar with many dog magazines. Check out online web sites for dog magazines. Many times magazines post some of their articles online for free.
- Consider volunteering at local animal shelters. This is a good way to practice some of your training skills and the shelter will be very appreciative. Dogs which have received some basic training in manners are more likely to be adopted and stay in their new homes.
- There are many dog training schools these days. Some are good and some aren’t. Be sure to check out any school that you are thinking of attending. Meet the trainer and check with people who have attended the classes previously. You can learn a lot from these classes but only if the trainer is good and teaches well.
It usually takes several years of hard work and hard study to become a beginning dog trainer. It will take longer than that to become a recognized expert. In fact, we never stop learning about dogs. Don’t be discouraged. You can’t become a trainer without starting out as a novice. Everyone has to start at the beginning and learn the basics. Just remember that there’s no limit to how much you can learn about dogs.
There are a number of web sites and people who promise to make you an instant dog training expert — for a price. You should beware of these promises. Beware of the mail-order dog trainers who promise you certification. There are very few shortcuts in training dogs. If someone tries to tell you that they can teach you how to train dogs without even touching a dog, you should start seeing red flags and checking for your wallet.
You can learn to be a professional dog trainer by studying under other trainers in courses, seminars and workshops as described here. Study dog training and dogs by reading everything you can find. Take a good course if you find one and it checks out. Be wary of people offering you shortcuts. If you follow these guidelines and continue to practice your skills, you will make it as a professional dog trainer.