Becoming a Dog Trainer
Are you thinking of taking the big step in to becoming a dog trainer? If so, then a career as a dog trainer can be very rewarding, and if you have a love for dogs and a passion for improving their welfare then this may be the right career path for you. Alongside a love for dogs, it is important to understand how they think, feel and learn, and how we can use this to create more positive behaviours.
As a dog trainer, you are not only working with dogs but people too. Essentially you are training the owner to train their dog! This may include showing them how to correct, or better, their dog’s behaviours. Or how to handle their dogs, how to teach them good manners and basic obedience.
Forming the Bond
The main aim of a dog trainer and the main passion is to draw bond between human and dog. To allow the two beings to live harmoniously as a family unit. Modern day dog training should not include the use of harsh physical punishment or vocal abuse. Science and time has proven this to create fearful, nervous dogs. Using positive training with the use of reinforcements will encourage happy dogs which have the confidence to learn. Reinforce the good behaviours, ignore or redirect the bad behaviours.
Where to Start
It can be really difficult knowing where to start. There are so many courses out there, and with the ever growing web it can be hard to tell which courses offer exactly what you need to be equipped as a dog trainer. It is important to select a course which has the theoretical knowledge but also provides practical learning to help you build your confidence in this area. For example, you will need to be equipped with the understanding of a dog’s body language and the tools to observe dogs in different situations. ACS Distance Education offers this unique method of learning through the knowledge provided in our lessons and the practical research in our tasks. These are rounded off with assignments to encourage independent learning. An example of one task in our Dog Psychology and Training course is to observe five different dogs in a park, or similar environment, and observe their reactions to other dogs, humans, sounds, smell, etc. This provides you with the skills to learn and understand dog behaviour to a higher level, rather simply reading from online notes.
You will also need a course which provides you with the correct training methods and also encourages you to take on training, or understand situations which can occur in real life. Our Dog Psychology and Training course provides this again not only within the lessons, but also in the set tasks and assignments. One task requires you to teach a dog you know a new command, whilst another task describes a hypothetical situation of a dog with behavioural issues. You are required to figure out the cause of these issues and also how you can fix these with dog training.
Alongside the right course, hands on experience is the key. Working practically with different dogs can really put your learning into perspective. A good way to achieve this is to volunteer at a rescue and re-homing kennels. There are a variety of dogs in these situations, some with behavioural issues and some who require just a little training, however either way you will be increasing their chances of finding a home.
Get in Touch
If you feel dog training is the right career path for you, and you have any questions, then please get in touch with us today. You can phone us on (UK) 01384 442752, or (International) +44 (0) 1384 442752,