How Can I Become a Dog Trainer?

This is one of the questions I am asked daily. Becoming a dog trainer and getting involved in the business of dog training is really a lot of fun. If you have a passion for dogs or working with dogs… maybe even training your dog… this maybe a business that is just right for you.

Years ago in order to become a dog trainer you had to have a lot of experience, years of it. Dog trainers were people who were involved in competition and competition training. Years ago there were no schools where you could go to learn how to be a dog trainer. I actually started training when I was 8 years old and competed in my first dog show when I was 9 in the Junior Showmanship class with the American Kennel Club (AKC).

Now over the years there have become more and more schools around the country where you can learn to become a dog trainer. Some of these schools offer in-house training at their facility and offer programs from 4-weeks to several months. Other training facilities offer on-line or correspondence type programs in addition to their in-house programs. The internet and the technology associated with it has allowed distance learning to come a long way in helping people become educated dog trainers.

I’ve actually been training people to become dog trainers for the last 17 years and I’ve really enjoyed it. It has given me the opportunity to help a lot of people fulfill their passion of becoming a dog trainer and at the same time making a good living for their families and having the benefit of being self employed.

So to answer the question, “ How do I become a dog trainer?”, it’s simple. Either do it with experience which will take you years to do or by attending a school. If you are unable to attend a training program away from home, meaning you can’t leave your family, work or your home, you may want to consider one of the online programs that you can do at home in your spare time.

I’ll cover this subject in more depth as we go along.