My question is:
Has anyone else heard that, in order to be a successful dog trainer in the future, the best way is to have won medals/awards with dogs you've trained personally over the years, so that you have recognition?
Second, does anyone know how long it takes to have enough experience to actually become a dog trainer?
I'm ready to take on this task whole-heartedly, but I would like to know what I am getting myself into. If anyone has any tips at all, please let me know. I would greatly appreciate it!
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I don't know that you need awards and medals in order to be successful -- with your goals, it seems like successfully training and placing some great service dogs would get you the kind of reputation you want. :)
Bassetnut gave you a good idea -- the only way to know for sure is to talk to people who actually do what you're interested in!
Good luck!
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- Give me best answer and I will tell you all you need to know
- Why not call up some local guide/assistance dog schools and ask them what their requirements are for hiring a trainer? Then you'll know exactly what you need to learn.
- I suspect you will know when you're confident in your skills as a trainer. But how long that will take is sort of up to you - how hard you work at it, and your aptitude for the work. However much time you spend doing it, though, there will always be more to learn, and you can always hone your skills. You're off to a good start by working with an established trainer and getting some hands on experience.
If you have a proven record of winning in obedience trials or whatever aspect of dog sport you choose, it will certainly enhance your reputation as a trainer or handler.
In addition to the practical things you're doing, you might also consider taking some courses in animal behavior, biology, and learning theory to give you a theoretical background to go with your hands on work.
You might visit the website for the Association of Pet Dog Trainers, an organization that certifies trainers. They might have information that could tell you how long it might take to be certified.
http://www.apdt.com
Good luck to you. - How about contacting one of the guide dog organizations about participating in their puppy raising program? Guide Dogs for the Blind, and other groups, use host families to raise the puppies from about 8 weeks old until 12-18 months old. They also have meetings concerning training issues, usually under the guidance of a trainer or leader for the organization. Not only would this give you some idea of what you might be getting yourself into, it would give you some contacts with trainers. My friend raising guide dog puppies when she was in high school and loved it, though it is hard to give the puppies up.
- Medals and awards just build a reputation, they don't make you a good trainer. As far as how long it takes it depends on how hard you work and how open-minded you are. The biggest thing you need to remember is to think outside the box. So many people get caught up in steps or quick fixes that they neglect to evaluate the individual dog. For example compulsion training will not work for a dog who is submissive or who has been abused and strictly inducive training will not work with a dominant, stuborn dog. You will get the hang of it in the next year or two. As far as becoming a good trainer no one can answer that because no two trainers are alike. You have trainers that can only train aggressive dogs and then you have those who work on concentrated behavioral modification. I started out with behavioral modification by volunteering with rescue groups and shelters. This is the most difficult thing I have had to do because traditional methods don't work. If you are wanting to get into seeing eye dog training you may want to study up on this because you will eventually be doing temperment testing and behavior evaluations with dogs and this will come in handy. The training aspect is great and I'm glad you are starting with the basics because in anything you may need to revert back to them at any given time. Good luck.
- I am not a dog trainer. But I've taken classes from 11 different instructors. And I'm a professional trainer for people (business consultant) so I have a good idea of what a good trainer is. I can't tell you how long it takes to be a good dog trainer or specifically training service dogs.
1. The value of either winning awards in conformance or doing well in performance events is:
--it gives you tremendous visibility (which gives you business and also assumed credibility).
--it gives you great contacts (you meet other trainers and learn from them, you meet other breeders, and those people can give you referrals).
2. One of the biggest criticisms I have of most dog training is that it consists of what others have called the "dojo approach" which means "Let me show you how I do it, now you do it." Yet research on learning styles shows that people have different learning styles--what works for me may not work for you.
3. There are at least two things that a good dog trainer has to have acquired in order to be good.
--experience with a range of trainers and styles and schools. That doesn't mean you need to be a vagabond trainer, going from program to program. But it does mean that you need to realize that there is more than one good way to do something, that what works for one handler may flop with another, and you need to know the pros and cons of a particular approach. Thus, a good dog trainer has read a bunch of different dog books, is knowledgable about dogs, knows a lot about clickers and behaviorial theory, and whatever school or philosophy you buy in to, you can also explain the merits of other approaches.
--you need to have experience with a wide range of dogs. I still recall taking an obedience class with my dog that (at the time) measured 10 inches at the withers. The instructor kept insisting, "don't bend over to treat--the dog will think you're trying to play." Her dog was a GSD. My dog couldn't reach my hand unless I bent over or kneeled--she clear had no experience working with smaller dogs.
Training a BC is going to be very different from training a Beddlington Terrier or a Bulldog or a Golden Retreiver or a Cocker Spaniel or a Chihuahua or a Basenjii. You need enough exposure to different breeds to recognize some of the ways you'll need to adapt your training from one breed to the next.
4. Much of your work will come from "problems." People don't hire dog trainers because everything is hunky-dory. They hire them because the dog is mouthing or peeing in the house, or barking late at night, or bouncing off the walls, or pulling on walks. So the majority of the dogs you will see as a trainer (unless you're a high-end trainer such as for top agility dogs or field work) will be dogs "with problems" (in many cases it's the owners with the problem--but I digress). So you need to be prepared for that kind of work. - If you have money, you can take courses at animal behavior colleges, or training courses from places like the SF SPCA. Other wise, join APDT and learn the books you need to read. Go to their courses, and learn under one of their trainers. Anyone can claim to be a trainer, this is a very under regulated industry, so be sure your mentor is actually knowledgeable - They should also be a member of APDT (Association of Pet Dog Trainers). You do not have to be a trainer to join. You can also look up these trainers in your area.
The big pet stores like Petco and Petsmart have training programs, you may want to look into working for a while for these organizations to get a beginning into the world of both theory and practice of training.
Work at an animal shelter and learn from them.
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