How to Become a Dog Trainer

The daily life of a dog trainer can include responsibilities such as:

Becoming a dog trainer doesn’t require any formal qualifications. However, you will need to demonstrate your love for dogs and knowledge of training a variety of canine breeds. It is also always a good start to have 5 GCSE’s grade A*-C with maths and English, as employers can often prefer employees to have this. 

There are a variety of distance learning courses you can undertake in dog training. For example, taking a course in Dog Psychology, Behaviour & Training or completing a Certificate in Dog Psychology, Behaviour & Training which can be done entirely online, in your own time, will equip you with the knowledge you need to become a dog trainer.

Once you have completed your online dog trainer course, you can join a number of professional organisations. These include the British Institute of Dog Trainers, the Association of Professional Dog Trainers (APDT) or the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers. This is one route to becoming a certified dog trainer, however. Whether you want to start your own business or work full-time at an established dog training school, having an affiliation with a trusted dog training institute is helpful.

Although It’s not a requirement to have your own dog in order to become a dog trainer, you will need some experience with dogs, whether it is looking after a friend’s dog or gaining some work experience.

You can gain experience by volunteering at your local animal shelter and walking dogs, cleaning kennels or socialising animals, or by booking in work experience shadowing an animal carer. If you decide to undertake an apprenticeship or another practical course in animal care, you will likely have some experience with animals included in the course.

Many organisations such as animal shelters also have their own dedicated animal trainer or animal behaviourist, so it is worth getting in touch to see if you could shadow them for a few weeks. Suppose you cannot gain experience at your local shelter. In that case, local veterinary surgeries also offer some training classes that you may be able to sit in on, or you might find a self-employed dog trainer local to you from whom you can gain experience.

Dog trainers earn an average of £26,974 per year. This can go up to £39,000 for experienced dog trainers. If you choose to go down a self-employed route, your annual salary may vary depending on how many clients you help. You can also offer additional services, such as exercise and nutritional guides.

Being the best dog trainer can require hard work, passion, and willingness to build up key skills. Some of the essential skills all dog trainers need includes: 

Dog trainers can choose to be self-employed, meeting privately with clients who need help training their canine companions. However, dog trainers are also commonly employed by organisations such as:

Your dog training career can lead you in various directions, from working with owners and their new puppies to helping dogs with behaviour problems overcome them and find their new home! You don’t have to choose right away either. You can learn about animal welfare and dog behaviour, study a dog training course and then see which work opportunities are available for the dog lover in you to explore.