A dog training business can be fun as well as lucrative if you have a love of animals. Keep in mind; however, that loving animals is not enough in order to become a successful dog trainer. In addition, you must have an understanding of dog behavior as well as behavior modification, learning theories and first aid for both humans and canines. In addition, you must have an understanding of business management and marketing. If you are considering training dogs for certain competitions such as freestyle or agility you should also have a knowledge of the procedures and rules that govern those competitions.
What you Need to Know
First and foremost, you must be passionate about the idea of working with dogs. Without this passion, it is likely that you will not be happy with your business. While dog training can provide a good income, it is not something that will make you rich overnight so you should love your job for the sake of it not for the idea of the income it can bring.
Second, you must also be comfortable working with people. While a good percentage of your job will involve working with dogs, you must also recognize that you will need to interact with their owners as well. In many instances, you will be teacher your human clients as much as you will be teaching dogs so it is imperative that you feel comfortable working with other people.
Furthermore, you must be kind and respectful for your business to succeed. If you have an arrogant attitude around dog owners and other trainers you will likely find that your business has a hard time succeeding. Most people will be reluctant to bring their animals back to a trainer with whom they feel uncomfortable. The same is also true for working with animals. You must always treat the animals with kindness and respect. No one wants their dog to be mistreated by a trainer who is harsh.
In addition, you must be willing to work at developing your teaching skills. Those skills will be critical to the success of your business. There are actually many good trainers around the country but they often do not succeed because they simply do not have the necessary teaching skills to train the owners as well as the dogs.
Patience is another essential. In fact, this may be one of the most important skills a dog trainer can have. Dogs simply cannot be trained within five minutes. You must be patient and allow the dog as well as the owner to learn at their own pace.
A sense of humor can also be helpful as a dog trainer. In your business you will likely encounter a variety of different problems. The good news is that many of the problems you may encounter will be funny and learning to laugh at them will help to get you through while also developing creative solutions to resolving problems.
You should always strive to be honest in all of your business dealings. You must be prepared to tell an owner what really happens during training even if it is not always what they would like to hear. There may be some problems that simply cannot be resolve through training and if that happens you must inform the dog’s owner. There may also be problems which you encounter that you simply cannot handle. If you are not able to address a particular issue, aggression for example, be honest and recommend someone who can help.
Do not underestimate the skills of other trainers in the area. It really does not matter if they use outdated techniques that you may not approve of, each trainer has their own method and you should not underestimate that. You may not agree but do not underestimate.
Be willing to learn several different training techniques, even some of the older techniques. Understanding the advantages and disadvantages of each technique will allow you to choose the right methods to suit each dog. You should not necessarily try every single training technique you read about but staying on top of the industry can help you to not only learn something new but also improve your training skills as well.
You should also plan to remain up to date on business management, publicity and marketing strategies and techniques. While the theme of your business may be training you will still need to manage that business and advertise to keep it afloat.
Gaining Credibility
In order to gain credibility and open a business as a professional dog trainer it is important for you to have the demonstrated ability to train dogs in a gentle and effective manner. This is accomplished through experience. There are many ways you can gain that experience including volunteering your time with shelters, other trainers and veterinarians.
You might also consider entering a certificated dog training program. There are not any actual licensing or formal educational requirements to becoming a dog trainer; however, gaining credibility as a trainer and becoming certified is an excellent way to present your business as truly professional. Most professional dog trainers today are certified, particularly if they are engaged in particular fields of training such as behavior modification, show dog training and guide dog training. Certification is available through many colleges, online schools and community courses.
It is also essential that you present yourself in a professional manner. You should always be prepared to give out your business card to prospective clients and have a resume available as well that will outline your area of expertise, skills, education, experience and certification.
Even if you are not certified you should also have references. This will help to demonstrate experience as well as a willingness to be honest and open with all prospective clients. Make sure your references include professionals, including people with whom you have worked in the past.
