How to Become a Dog Trainer: 7 Tips for Aspiring Dog Trainers

A dog trainer is someone who trains dogs for a living, whether for basic good behavior, as service dogs, or for dog shows. They do so by teaching dogs behavior modification, using verbal commands and body language to help the animals learn manners and play nice with both people and other pets.

There’s no one official certification board for dog trainers, but those interested in this career path can benefit from seeking certification from a host of providers if they wish. The American Kennel Club (AKC), the Association of Professional Dog Trainers (APDT), the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT), and others all offer either certification or partner with external entities that do. Consider taking classes or attending a dog training school before testing for certification.

Training dogs might sound easy if you’re a dog lover, but it requires a lot of forethought, discipline, and patience. Keep these seven tips in mind in your pursuit to become a pet dog trainer:

1. 1. Find a mentor. Work with a more experienced trainer to learn about encouraging dog obedience in a hands-on manner. See if there are any practiced animal behavior consultants at a local shelter, pet store, or vet’s office willing to take you under their wing. Their wisdom will help you gain experience.
2. 2. Get certified. There are many different certified professional dog trainer programs that will assess your knowledge. While there’s no single authoritative entity, any reputable professional organization that specializes in this area can help boost your résumé with a certification. Some people might feel more inclined to hire a certified dog trainer if a certification indicates they are more qualified.
3. 3. Learn supplemental skills. No matter whether you settle on working for someone else’s dog training business or striking out on your own, certain essential skills carry over no matter what. If you want to open your own business, you’ll need to learn about how to run a company, not just how to train dogs. If you’d be happier teaching dog training classes at a local pet store, you’ll need to learn how to educate the pet owners, too.
4. 4. Practice with your own dog. If you’re planning to become a dog trainer, odds are you have your own canine companion. Work on advanced and basic obedience training techniques with your pet. Take your furry friend to group classes and seminars at local pet stores. Just remember that not all dogs will have the same personality or innate respect and love for you that your own pet does due to years of bonding.
5. 5. Seek volunteer opportunities. Local animal shelters, kennels, and veterinarians might all have opportunities for you to help out with training a variety of dogs. Not only will working with them prove to be a valuable learning experience, you’ll also get to improve your training skills at the same time you help out your community.
6. 6. Study up. Knowing as much as possible about dog behavior problems and how to fix them will go a long way in qualifying you to be a dog trainer. Take dog training courses, read about different training methods, and ask professionals for advice. To know whether a specific training situation calls for operant conditioning or positive reinforcement, you need to first know what each means. Supplement all your reading and study with hands-on practice—theory is only useful if you can apply it to the real world.
7. 7. Work on your people skills. No matter how much you love dogs, being a trainer means working with dog owners, too. Your role as an animal trainer also involves teaching the pets’ owners how to continue training the animals. After you leave, the owners should have a broad yet nuanced working knowledge of how to behave with their dog in a variety of different scenarios.

Your dream of having a dog who understands words like “sit,” “stay,” “down,” and—crucially— “no” is just a MasterClass Annual Membership away. The only things you’ll need to train up a well-behaved pup are your laptop, a big bag of treats, and our exclusive instructional videos from superstar animal trainer Brandon McMillan.