How to Become a Dog Trainer
A Look at Dog Trainer Certification and Schools for Dog Trainers
Sep 16, 2008
In recent years, the movement toward responsible dog ownership has gained a great deal of momentum thanks, in part, to the popularity of shows like Cesar Milan's The Dog Whisperer, combined with scientific advances in the understanding of dog psychology and dog behavior.
This has more and more dog lovers wondering, "How can I become a dog trainer?" Fortunately, an increasing number of schools for dog trainers are now helping animal lovers start their dog training careers.
What to Look for In a Dog Trainer School
In order to become a dog trainer, one must attend one of the many schools for dog trainers, which teach basic dog training methods, along with the ins and outs of dog behavior and dog psychology, particularly Pavlovian conditioning which is a predominant theory that's put into practice by modern dog trainers. A quality dog trainer school will offer education that explores multiple facets of canine behavior and dog psychology.
A quality dog trainer school will also provide lessons on the history of animal training, in addition to lessons in how to design and host effective dog training courses for clients. Business management for a dog training company will also be discussed at a quality dog trainer school.
Dog Trainer Certification
A dog lover who is looking to become a dog trainer must first complete an education at one of the many schools for dog trainers. Once this is complete, the next step involves obtaining a nationally-recognized dog trainer certification.
Perhaps the best-known and most respected national organization that offers national dog trainer certification in the United States is the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT). In place since 2001, the CCPDT is the only organization in the U.S. that offers standardized dog trainer certification. This organization issues dog trainer certification in the form of the sought-after Certified Pet Dog Trainer (CPDT) credential.
Individuals in the U.S. who are looking to become a dog trainer should also consider joining The Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT), an organization of professional trainers who are dedicated to excellence in dog training through education. For Canadian dog trainers, consider learning about an organization that's similar to the APDT - The Canadian Association of Professional Pet Dog Trainers.
Dog Training Specialities
There is a vast array of dog training schools across the United States and Canada and it can be difficult to decide which dog trainer course is best for an individual. One primary consideration is whether the dog training school offers specialized dog training courses, which can include protection dog training and service dog training.
In particular, one lucrative and sought-after type of dog training career involves working with dogs and their handlers in the field of law enforcement. A certified dog trainer can opt to take specialized courses to learn the dog training methods used to teach dogs in the field of law enforcement, also known as a K9. In fact, a K9 dog trainer will usually find there is a high demand for certified dog trainers in this specialty.
An increasing number of police departments and other law enforcement agencies are opting to utilize four-legged officers, thereby increasing the demand for a quality K9 dog trainer.
Thanks to the movement toward responsible pet ownership, combined with the increased prevalence of dogs with jobs in law enforcement and protection, the demand is high for a certified dog trainer, so for many, now may be the perfect time to start a professional dog training career.
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