Working Dog Trainer Career Profile
- Career Name - Working Dog Trainer
- Category - Animal Care / Business / Farming & Livestock Management
- Skills Required - Life skills 40% - Career skills 60%
- Basic School Subjects - Biology, Science, Business Studies
- Required Minimum Education - High School Certificate
- Species Worked With - Dogs
- Kind of Interaction with Animals - Direct
Do you want to work as a working dog trainer?
READ: This page helps you to read about the career and the info you need to decide on whether this is indeed the career you want to follow.
RESEARCH: Learn about the skills required and minimum subjects to enter this career, as well as the places where you can study further after school.
PREPARE: If you want to plan and prepare for your career, then join the OZT Community! Members have access to tools while chatting with other students and experts from around the world. Prepare to be amazed!
CAREER MENTOR
UPDATED:
13 July 2023
Adverts:
What is a working dog trainer?
Working dog trainers use their skills and knowledge to train dogs to perform specific practical tasks which can be seen as work (labor).
This career looks at people that train the following kinds of working dogs:
- Carting dogs
- Herding dogs
- Hunting dogs (retrievers)
- Sledding dogs
Careers that train dogs that work as service, police, military or therapy dogs are discussed under their own careers. Visit the ANIMAL TRAINER page to connect with one of them.
Career Categories
The Working Dog Trainer career can be found in the following career categories:
- Animal Care
- Business
- Farming & Livestock Management
Most trained animals?
The animals that are the most trained and produce the most jobs, are dogs.
Chicken training?
Trainers used to practice their new techniques on chickens
What does a Working Dog Trainer do?
Groups of animals a Working Dog Trainer works with
What is the level of Interaction with the Animals?
- Directly - A person works directly with the animals with some form of physical contact at least once every few days
- Indirectly - The career doesn't require direct or physical contact at all.
What does a Working Dog Trainer focus on?
Working dog trainers focus on the abilities of the specific breeds of dogs to perform manual tasks. The tasks are mostly performed through strength, stealth and endurance. They also train the owners in how to use the dogs properly.
With who does a Working Dog Trainer work?
Besides working with all of the animals, Working Dog Trainers will need to interact with other people while doing their daily tasks. The people might include fellow staff members or the public.
Fellow staff might include:
- Operational staff, such as
- Human Resources, Finance and Maintenance
What are the daily tasks of Working Dog Trainer?
- Train the dogs in the specific tasks required
- Monitor the dogs to ensure they learn
- Ensure the safety of the dogs while training
- Create habitats that will help with training
- Mentally stimulate some breeds with treats or challenges
- Communicate with the owners and train them if necessary
- Run business
The Work Environment of a Working Dog Trainer
Where does a Working Dog Trainer work?
Environment –
Animal trainers mainly work outdoors, and in most cases with domesticated animals.
Places of Employment –
They may be employed by kennels, but most of these trainers start their own businesses.
What is the average annual salary of a Working Dog Trainer
The average annual salary of a working dog trainer is US$34,000.
Can a Working Dog Trainer be promoted?
Advancement in the field typically depends on work experience. First year practitioners often begin on a part-time basis, fitting their training commitments around other work demands. Promotion to senior levels are available within organization, and generally are the following:
Intern > Junior Trainer > Senior Trainer > Supervisor
What are the difficulties a Working Dog Trainer faces?
Animal training careers often experience difficulties associated with aggressive or frightened animals that may bite, kick or scratch, causing injuries. You may also be required to work irregular hours including evenings, weekends, and holidays.
Future Growth and Possibilities
The prospects of future growth in this industry is good, for specific groups of animal trainers. Dog trainers still see a positive growth, fuel by television and online personalities.
Which Skills does a Working Dog Trainer require?
The skills required for a career as a working dog trainer can be divided into two very important groups. The first is the group containing life skills, which are the core skills that are necessary or desirable for full participation in everyday life. The second group is career skills, or the specific skills required to allow a person to enter and operate effectively within a specific career. Some or maybe even all of the life skills can assist in strengthening the career skills, and they might even be the same for specific careers.
Life Skills
- Self-awareness
- Empathy
- Critical thinking
- Creative thinking
- Decision making
- Problem Solving
- Effective communication
- Interpersonal relationship
Career Skills
- Basic animal handling and care techniques
- Basic instructing techniques
- Basic wilderness survival knowledge
- Basic customer service skills
- Good health and physical fitness
- Basic computer literacy
Which Subjects must I have at School to help prepare for this Career?
Most trainers do start their own businesses, which makes any business or economic subjects at school very important.
Biology will be an important subject for you as it will allow you admission into college, as well as help you gain the necessary basic knowledge about animals.
Although not compulsory to enter the career, it will be valuable in helping you understand the need and methods of communication with clients and suppliers.
These subjects are the ones recognized around the world. The subjects you choose at school are important as they lay the foundation for further studies at college or university. While still at school, it’s also important to learn more about the animals you will work with, as well as gain some experience.
OZT has a list of various tertiary institutions where you can study further, after school. Each of these institutions also have their own Group page on OZT where you will find the exact subjects they require of you to have passed in school. Keep these requirements in mind, and discuss it with your school, guidance counselor and parents to ensure that you are prepared!
What will I need to Study to become a Working Dog Trainer?
Minimum Requirements
The minimum requirements for training careers is a High School Certificate, but the best have furthered their studies with a College Diploma, or excellent Short Courses.
Study Focus
A diploma or short course with a focus in dog training, animal behaviour, or a closely related area is preferred.
Study Duration
The duration of most diplomas are between 2 and 3 years full time. The duration of short courses differ, but can range from a few days to a few months.
Possible Career Preparation Paths
If this is your dream career that you want to pursue, then it’s important to plan the way forward.
Why is planning important?
To ensure that you understand the requirements for your career, and that you are always prepared for the next step on the road towards your dream. A Preparation Path is like your road map to where you want to be.
Possible Path:
Possible Combined Career Paths
It is possible to sometimes combine two or more related careers. This normally happens when you study and practice a specific main career, but the knowledge and experience gained also help you to have a paying hobby or secondary income career.
Possible Alternatives (there are a lot more):
Stepping Stone Career
Being a working dog trainer can also be used as a stepping stone career. A stepping stone career is one which is used to help you get to another career, normally because the other career is too difficult to reach (sometimes due to things like high fees etc).
You can begin as an intern after basic short courses and expert guidance (maybe working under a mentor). The money made can then be used to pay for studies towards a promotion or another career, and the experience helps in gaining knowledge. One paying to help get to the other.
Some of the possible paths:
Training and apprenticeship
Even though it is important to study to get into some of the animal careers, most of the skills you will need as a dog trainer will be acquired through practice. This means that you will learn how to perform some of the daily tasks by actually doing it a few times and learning the steps.
In some cases entry level positions require training sessions even before you are allowed to actually perform your job duties. These sessions are offered by the place of employment, after you have successfully applied.
Apprenticeship is also possible where you need to learn skills from a more senior cartoonist or expert.
Join the Working Dog Trainers Group in the OZT Community to learn more and even interact with the educational institutions that will help you secure your dream career!
Average level of education of those entering the career
Licenses, Certificate, Registration and Professional Associations
Certain animal care careers require some form of legal certification to prove that you can indeed do the work, and work with the necessary equipment.
Although not required by law, certifications may help workers establish their credentials and enhance their skills.
Learn more about requirements by joining OZT in the Community.
Professional Associations
Where can I study further?
All of the above information will help you understand more about the Career, including the fact that there are different paths to take to reach it. But if you are almost done with High School (Grades 11 or 12), you also need to start thinking about further studies, and WHERE you will study.
See the List of Universities, Colleges and Online Training Academies who offer courses towards animal training.
Do you want to Contribute?
Do you have information that you would like to contribute to this career?
Join the OZT community and chat Group
Join us as a special member and learn more about becoming a working dog trainer.
Members of the Platform have special access to:
- Info on the best places where you can study (colleges, universities and online)
- Expertly designed advice to prepare you for the career, and links to places where you can gain valuable experience. For some career experience is necessary, otherwise you wont get the job!
- Top notch info on each of the different species you will work with
- Make friends around the world and share knowledge
- Compete and win points, badges, games, prizes and certificates. Be the best of the best, while you learn and prepare!
If you have decided on being a Working Dog Trainer, please click on the JOIN GROUP button. Members will be directed to the Group, while non-members will be assisted to register first.
If this career is NOT the career for you, then you may return to the MAIN CAREER menu.
Other interesting Careers
Career Profiles and Resources
Career Mentors are Members who assist by volunteering to keep each Career Page factual and current, while mentoring Students in the related Career Group.
Contributions by expert members are always appreciated to allow the Students to make informed decisions. Please add your contribution through the attached Form:
List of Career Mentors/Educators who have contributed to this Career info:
One Zoo Tree
A few pictures of the Career:
Some of the best websites to help you decide on the Career:
- Links
