Duties
and Responsibilities: Service Dog Trainer Duties. Along with
teaching dogs to assist the disabled in certain functions, trainers familiarize dogs with
human interaction and teach basic obedience skills, such as walking in
pace with handlers and sitting on command.
Salary: While salary data specifically
for dog trainers is not readily available from the BLS, several online sites
offer dog trainer salary information. PayScale.com cited an average earning
rate for dog trainers around $44,000 per year. SimplyHired.com quoted an
average dog trainer salary of $38,000 per year.
Education: Certified
Service Dog Trainers
Service
dog trainers teach canines to assist in tasks that people with
disabilities can't perform on their own. They teach dogs to respond to voice or
contact commands. They get the double reward of working with animals and
helping people. They might, however, be bitten or scratched by a frightened or
confused dog, though dogs that are prone to those reactions would not be
trained as service animals.
While not
mandatory for this profession, certification for general dog trainers is
available. Some schools offer formal service dog trainer courses.
Apprenticeships and volunteering are alternative ways of becoming a service dog
trainer.
Career
Requirements
Degree
Level
|
None
required
|
Licensure
or Certification
|
Licensure
required in some states; certification is voluntary
|
Experience
|
2-3
years with an apprenticeship
|
Key
Skills
|
Patience,
good interpersonal and communication skills, enjoy working with dogs and know
how to use common dog training equipment
|
Salary
(2016)
|
$33,129
per year (Median salary)
|
Sources:
Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers, Guide Dogs of America,
PayScale.
No degree
is required to become a certified service dog trainer; however, licensure could
be required in some states, and voluntary certification is available. An
apprenticeship along with 2-3 years' experience is typically needed. These
professionals should be patient and have good interpersonal and communication
skills. They should enjoy working with dogs and know how to use common dog
training equipment, including clickers, targets and tethers.
According
to 2016 data from PayScale.com, dog trainers earned a median salary
of $33,129.
Be a
Certified Service Dog Trainer
Step 1:
Work with Dogs
Prospective
service dog trainers can become acquainted with the profession by attending
conferences and workshops in canine behavior and training. Available at
vocational schools and community colleges, workshops and conferences last 1-4
days and cover topics in animal learning theory, obedience techniques and
training safety. Service dog trainers also gain hands-on experience with dogs
by volunteering at animal shelters. Some service dog training schools offer
puppy-raising programs in which volunteers care for puppies until the puppies
are old enough to begin training.
Step 2:
Complete Dog Trainer Courses
Aspiring
service dog trainers prepare for the career by enrolling in formal classes and
certificate programs offered at community colleges, universities and service
dog training schools. Duration and intensity of training vary by program. Some
courses last only a couple of days and present basic techniques, while others
entail several months of advanced practice and introduce theories of service
dog training. According to Assistance Dogs International, Inc., programs
promising to teach dog training in a few weeks will not provide the level of
training required to become a certified dog trainer. Reputable programs take
2-3 years and require an apprenticeship period.
Step 3:
Serve as an Apprentice
Most
service dog training schools only consider applicants who have completed an
apprenticeship. Apprenticeships at training schools last up to 4 years. Under
the direction of experienced instructors, apprentices train dogs to assist
humans in specific functions and teach disabled owners how to control their
service dogs. Apprentices are also responsible for completing basic tasks, such
as running errands, picking up dog excrement and processing paperwork.
Step 4:
Obtain Certification for Advancement
While some
states require service dogs to be certified or licensed, no mandatory
certification exists for trainers. The Certification Council for Professional
Dog Trainers (CCPDT) offers voluntary certification for dog trainers. Once an
apprentice has completed a minimum of 300 hours of training and obtained three
recommendations, he or she is eligible to sit for the Certified Professional
Dog Trainer-Knowledge Assessed (CPDT-KA) certification exam. This 25-question
exam covers occupational topics, such as animal husbandry, instruction skills
and learning theory.
Aspiring
service dog trainers can complete an apprenticeship and enroll in classes or
certificate programs, with reputable programs taking several years of training.
Certification or licensure might be required in some states, and voluntary
certification is also available.
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