What do you think of the training experience abroad?

Becoming more involved with dog training? Career?

• Good evening everyone. I am, yet again, faced with a career dilemma. I simply cannot decide what I want to do, though I know I will be more than thrilled if I get to work with dogs for the rest of my life. I know there are several ways to go about doing this, and my main interests lie in grooming and training. My question here, though, is about training. How does one go about getting experience with training? I know there are plenty of options: mentoring, dog training academies, participating in other training classes, etc. I have looked into various dog training academies, and have only been truly impressed by one (more impressed by the instructor than the academy itself). I will definitely be attending courses at this particular school, but this is not where I want to end my education. I am making the decision to take time off college to do all of this. I know this will probably end up being a really bad decision on my part, but I will never know if I do not try, and college right now simply isn't working out for me. So with all this in mind, what else can I do to expand my dog-related education? I am interested in training dogs for movies, becoming more involved as a handler, possibly working for the AKC in some why (though I am split on what I think about the organization), possibly training police dogs or guide dogs...basically, I'm open to suggestions and would love to try it all.

• Answer:

  Most of the people that I know around here that are trainers have become this based on their personal experience. They didn't go to school to learn how, but rather had a few dogs that they trained up and put into the show ring, agility, obedience, etc. That showed that they were capable and then they took on students. They then got quite a bit of a clientele built up, tho it did take time. What I can tell you is that the couple people I am thinking of around here still had "day jobs" and they taught and trialed at night and on the weekend. They also had a facility they could train at. I know that when I am looking into a trainer, their experience is what is going to draw me in first and foremost. The more active you become in dog related activities, the more experience you will gain and more likely you will be able to establish a business of your own or maybe be taken on as a trainer by a local kennel club to begin with. I also know BC people who became so active that they now work for the AKC too, but they were judges and so forth first before getting that far. I say get into a local training club and see what connections you can make there. You would be amazed the resources you will find in dog training club like that! Good Luck!