If you could give me some insight to the profession, such as what characteristics and skills one needs to be a successful dog trainer; what kinds of challenges you face as a dog trainer; what’s the most favorite part and least favorite part of the profession for you; and what a typical day is like. If you want, could you also tell me how you got started in the profession, or what motivated you to become a dog trainer?
I appreciate your time and thank you in advance for any information you wish to share.
My Responses (I should note that at different points in time my answers may have been different):
- What characteristics and skills one needs to be a successful dog trainer? I do think this varies from person to person, and varies from exactly what you will focus on in the dog training field. Generally, however, desire to learn and immerse ones self in learning and researching, accepting that practice is going to be necessary and the key, and that the ability to format accessible goals for yourself, the owner, and the dog are extremely important. I believe the ability to be open minded and learn from others who can demonstrate their knowledge (and the ability to read whether a trainer has that knowledge or not) is a very important place to begin. There is more to say here, but it would take a book LOL.
- What kinds of challenges you face as a dog trainer? Keeping yourself feeling healthy and ready to train is always a challenge. Managing time and life so you can do this best, is a challenge.
- What is the most favorite part of the profession for you? Providing the service that creates the communication and relationship between the dog and owner to be the best and most enjoyable that it can be for those individuals. It's great if you can do that so it never enters an owner's head to re-home their dog in the first place. That depends on owners contacting right in the beginning for training. When that does not happen, it's great when you can improve the situation to the extent that the owner is no longer thinking about this at all!
- What is the least favorite part of the profession for you? We are very accessible to our clients, meaning I don't often have days off during the year (and especially not when I would like them). I also don't like when I meet up with people who really do not want to work with their dogs. Sometimes people are just looking for permission to give up. It is stressful to know a dog is in a situation like that and/or that the dog is dangerous in a situation like that. I also hate all the computer work and marketing that comes along with driving this business forward LOL, but it is worth it.
- What is a typical day like? A typical day begins for me getting my dogs and boarding dogs fed, pooped, peed, and played or attention before the business day begins. Then at about seven am, daycare and day training dogs begin to come in. So one of us (husband or me) is typically taking the dogs in and chatting with the clients about the day or any problems they are having, while the other is on the other side training our dogs on commands under this distraction or making sure any "behaviorally challenged" client dogs are being appropriate during this distracting time. Daycare usually plays and gets run with after the drop off times. Then I am updating training blogs and doing marketing things online. Then I begin training the dogs either around daycare as distractions OR if I need to start a green dog in non distracting situations then my husband watches daycare as we go off and do our thing. Then their is another round of free time, as I go through the dogs here for daytrain. And most of my lessons are typically in the evening at this time of year. So at about 5 pm or so, I start with the private lessons. My day goes through about 6 am to 6 pm easily, and many times later than that.
- Could you also tell me how you got started in the profession, or what motivated you to become a dog trainer?
Let me first say, the only reason that I never just started off doing this as it was never presented to me as a real profession (you know by guidance counselors and certainly not my parents). I have always had an interest in animals and their well being. I thought the only way to do that when I was young was to be a veterinarian. I had never been exposed to the various dog training professions and that they are truly professions (and I am horrible at science so vet was out). When I got my first house at about 29, we got our first dog as well (Jazz a female Doberman). We acquired her at age 3 from a breeder who did not want to breed her anymore, so she came with manners and training. I did need to get involved a little bit with training and her for her prey drive (and we had cats, we did not want her to eat them). Then came our second dog, Neptune (he was a male Doberman 100#s and aged two). He was dog aggressive, and so I was determined not to fail him and provide him with many experiences so I went to a trainer with him. I remember thinking it was too bad that more people did not know they could make this kind of difference with their dog. My profession at the time was changing, and I did not want to be involved with unethical practices and the stress that came with it. I was volunteering at shelters as this was coming to a head, training dogs there to destress myself LOL. Then I thought, why am I not doing this for a living when I enjoy it so much, and I feel like I am accomplishing something. That is where the idea began. Truthfully, if I had not been exposed to a dog aggressive dog, I might be where more people are today thinking most dogs just need manners training. But Neptune was my education into the idea that training can be work, rewarding, and make your relationship with your dog deeper and more meaningful.
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