Service Dog Trainer

Question
Hey Josh, I would like to work with a Service Dog Training Facility or open up my own training facility after I graduate from the University of Illinois at Urbana/Champaign. I plan on minoring in animal science but what other things can I do while still in school to get experience with training dogs? What about after I graduate? Are there schools where they teach you how to train dogs?

Answer
Hi Wesley,
The best thing you can do is find a good trainer who has a large "toolbox", meaning a variety of methods to get the job done when training a dog. See if he/she will let you apprentice--the best way to improve yourself is to get as much hands-on experience as possible. You can also volunteer at a shelter, and offer to walk dogs or perhaps teach them to sit (a sitting dog in a shelter is much more likely to be adopted than one jumping in his kennel--the great trainer Sue Sternberg has written about this). The best school where you can go to learn how to train dogs is the Triple Crown Academy in Hutto, TX. Be wary in general of schools that offer training certifications; but Triple Crown is legit and a great school.

IAADP.org is the organization where you can find more information on assistance dog organizations. It might be good if you are willing to relocate as they are spread out all over the country. If you find one, you might have to be willing to start at the lowest level, maybe even cleaning kennels. But if you are ok with that, your opportunity to advance will be there.

I would definitely work for an established organization first before I considered opening my own. That way you will get a better idea of how things work in the industry.

Hope I've helped a bit...best of luck to you.

Josh Abrams
Dogasaur.com