How to get a job training dogs
Actually, this should really be called ‘what job can I do that involves working with dogs?’ as there are so many different ways of developing a career involving these highly sociable, intelligent and adaptable animals. Dogs have shown themselves to be incredibly useful to society; it’s really hard to think of an area of life that does not involve dogs in some capacity, and this leads to an amazing choice of jobs if you do want to work with them. You can choose to develop a full-time, life-encompassing career or pick something you can do flexibly to fit in with your lifestyle; whatever your plans there will be a job that suits you.
What would be the best job for me?
You need to establish what exactly you want to achieve and whether you are drawn towards any specific occupation. All jobs involving dogs are rewarding and some are also very beneficial to people too - therapy and assistance dogs, search and rescue dogs and scent detection dogs come immediately to mind. You could work with people and dogs in those areas and really know that you have made a difference to someone’s life. Dogs are used in the Military, the Police, the Fire service and Customs and Excise; you could train to potentially become a dog handler within these services. Do you want to help owners look after their dogs? If so, you could work in dog boarding or doggy day care or be a dog walker or pet sitter.
Do you think you would like the responsible role of an Animal Welfare Officer, working for the local council and having a very varied and enriching career? Or maybe you want to help owners and their dogs with problems and challenges and are thinking of becoming a behaviourist or dog trainer. Perhaps you want the experience of working completely hands-on, so something like dog grooming, canine massage or Small Animal hydrotherapy would suit you. Or possibly you want to work in an Animal Rescue charity, rehabilitating and rehoming dogs, being a Kennel Assistant or Kennel Manager. For more information on different jobs with dogs visit our dog careers page.
“I’d rather work with animals than people”
This is said a lot by people who work in the animal sector! Some people do deliberately choose to work with animals as they want to avoid the general public, but if you think about it, most of the careers with dogs involve owners or other interested parties. Assume that any job you get working with dogs is going to involve other people in some way; for many roles, such as a behaviourist for example, you need to have a very comprehensive knowledge of human psychology and behaviour as well as know all about dogs. Don’t choose to work with dogs if you want to avoid people!
So, about dog training?
To get back to the title, training knowledge is needed in all of the dog-related careers! When you say ‘dog training’ people think of an actual dog trainer who holds classes and teaches owners, but an awareness of how dogs learn, how to assess their emotional state and how to bring out the best in them through positive methods is necessary in all careers that include these wonderful animals.
What do I do now?
When you’ve decided which career path you want to take you will need to study a recognised qualification. New regulations require minimum qualifications for people working with animals, and employers now expect their existing staff to obtain them; they also look to take on people who already have them. If you want to work for yourself then you must have the relevant qualifications in order to obtain the necessary insurance. Of course, apart from the legal aspects of qualifications, it is essential to have the up-to-date, extensive knowledge that taking a qualification brings. And of course, they’re great fun to do!
At Animal Courses Direct we offer free, comprehensive careers advise for anyone over the age of 16 who wishes to become a qualified animal professional. Simply visit our ‘contact us’ page and one of our careers advisors will get back to you.
All of our canine courses have been developed to help individuals get the experience and training required for a dog related career, for a full list of our courses and qualifications visit our canine course page.
