Dog Health Questions: Dog trainers and animal behaviorists and anyone else, please answer my question....?

What steps did you take to become a dog trainer or dog behaviorist? Did you get certified for it? What classes did you take? Did you go to a special school for? Is there such a degree major in dog training? Sorry for all te questions...it's just I'm an unprofessional dog trainer and I would like to take some courses to learn more but I don't even know where to begin or how to start. Tell me your story and please help me to figure this out. Thanks!

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Recommended Answer:
Putting titles on your own dogs is one of the best ways to build your reputation. Each trial is an opportunity to show off your skill to dog owners and earn word-of-mouth recommendations. Joining kennel clubs and other dog clubs opens opportunities in networking in the dog community. Apprenticing with an experienced trainer builds your skill set. Volunteering your training skills at a local shelter builds experience for you while improving adoption potential for the dogs, especially when a minor behavior issue may be the only thing standing between them and a new home.

Other credentials that can help build your reputation include:
Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers http://www.ccpdt.org/ and the
The National Association of Dog Obedience Instructors http://www.nadoi.org/

For behaviorists, you'll probably want a college degree in ethology. Such a course should also address the various professional associations available for certification.

If you're already a dog trainer, and want to build from what you have, try getting a job at PetSmart. I don't have a whole lot of respect for most of the trainers at PetSmart, but from a trainer's standpoint it does give you certain advantages. They set up the classes for you and fill them with students. They also provide the liability insurance. And it's a way to build up experience.

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