Dog Health Questions: How to become a dog trainer?

I want to have a career in dog training, but mostly as a attack dog trainer for in the police force. Are there special schools. Where do I start?

Thanks

Dog Training: To Have Or Not To Have A Trainer

Recommended Answer:
The vast majority of dog trainers are self taught. I recommend you start reading a lot of books and attending seminars. The University of North Texas does offer some classes aimed at animal training. The only college to offer a degree in animal training is Moorpark College, but the emphasis is on exotics, like in a zoo.

The Coast Guard might be able to offer some training.

You might contact the people at Leerburg, Sirius Pups, or The Los Angeles Dog Psychology Center directly and see if they offer an apprenticeship program.

Read about the different methods of training. Ed Frawley (Leerburg) and Cesar Millan (LA Dog Psychology Center) are similar, but their methods are far different from those of Ian Dunbar (Sirius Pups).

I'm attaching a few relevant links.
Good Luck!

Why Is Dog Training The Best Thing We Can Do For Our Dogs?

• The attack dog guys in the police force are cops. The attack dogs guys for the miltary are in the military.
  All the attack dog guys I know, several, its my thing, that do private dog work now came out of the military.
  So...join the army??


• I'm a dog trainer, ive won starter obenice (2006) with a red border collie and are going to crufts this year for heelwork to music and obedience. I belong to a dog trainer club mels klever k9's as seen on Britains got talent, 2007. The website is melskleverk9ltd.com, just look it up on google. :D


• The thing is, the market for attack dog training outside the military and police force is not going to be huge, and as someone without the military or police dog training experience, you'd be way behind the competition.
  
  There are several different kinds of dog training careers, though. I don't think this is a particularly good one unless you try to go about it the traditional way. I highly doubt that the USCG employs attack dogs... drug sniffing dogs perhaps. I'd think that the army would do that. Border patrol might also.


• You could try training in Schutzhund, which would be similar to the police dog work.
  What it entails is obedience, tracking and protection, and typically involves GSDs but any breed I believe can participate.
  
  You could try searching for local dog training schools, or find someone in your area that may be willing to let you shadow at their classes.
  
  But really, being a Schutzhund trainer would not be ideal for a full time job. Simply as it's not exactly a well known sport to the general populous.


• You might check your neighborhood and see if anyone is offering Schutzhund or French Ring Sport Obedience Classes. If so, go out and take a look and talk to the people there, maybe you can apprentice under them (they'll teach you how to safely be an agitator).
  
  And yes, there are schools out there but you need to do your homework to find out which are best.
  
  e-mail: gsbob@earthlink.net. He's the contact for a California Schutzhund Club's Helper Seminar and Certification Test so I'm sure he can give you an earful, if you've got the time.