There’s no one right way to become a dog trainer. Some aspiring trainers enroll in a formal education course (either online or in-person), but not all beginners have the resources to afford this kind of education. 

Another popular and far less expensive method is to find a mentor to apprentice under. But how do you find a mentor, and how do you know you’re getting the education you were originally seeking?

Take a Training Class with Your Own Dog

Chances are if you’re an aspiring dog trainer, you’ve got a dog of your own. Taking classes with a trainer in your area is a great way to start learning basic training methods and familiarize yourself with dog body language and social activity.

It’s courteous to be up-front with the trainer you want to take a class with — let them know that you want to be a dog trainer and taking one of their classes would be a good opportunity to get an idea of what classes look like and how things are run.  

Lots of people spend time exploring industries before diving in deeper and the trainer will probably give you extra information about the process during classes if they’re aware.

If the trainer doesn’t want you in their class, that’s okay. All that means is that they’re someone you probably don’t want to spend time with anyway. Trainers who are more worried about competition than helping educate others aren’t the trainers you want to learn from. 

Attend Local Seminars and Network

Seminars themselves are wonderful learning opportunities; you get to hear unique perspectives from fantastic trainers and potentially even participate in a workshop. But the end of the event is when the networking begins. 

Usually, trainers go out for drinks after events! Just like other professionals, dog trainers like to sit down with a beer and some food and share stories and experiences with each other. They also tend to recap what they learned at the event and how they’re going to apply it to their own clients.

Get in on some after-event shop talk. This stuff is priceless; I’ve had such incredible experiences with trainers from all over the nation. You get to hear amazing stories, both good and bad, and it’s a great glimpse into the life of a dog trainer. 

Directly Contact Local Trainers

If you’ve heard good things about a trainer in town or you’ve been following a local trainer online and you like the way they work, reach out to them and ask to shadow. 

A lot of the time, a trainer would be glad to take on an apprentice because it also benefits them. Apprentices can help out by walking a demo dog or a stuffed animal while the trainer counter-conditions a reactive dog. Apprentices can act as the “stranger” for dogs who have stranger danger problems. While you’re gaining an education, your mentor is getting free assistance. 

Make sure you look to see what training methods they practice before reaching out. Wanting to be an R+ trainer and learning from someone who uses different methods won’t work out well. 

Take an Online Course

Dog trainers tend to be hands-on learners, but the internet brings a host of fantastic learning content. Here are the top 6 places to get a (fairly) formal education in dog training.

When it comes to basic dog handling and training mechanics, one especially popular and extremely unique resource I love is the Fenzi Dog Sports Academy. Depending on what “level” course you purchase, you get to fully participate — you take videos of yourself training and submit them, and then receive critiques.

It’s a great experience, and once you complete a course you get access to the Facebook alumni group. There you have access to hundreds of other trainers and their experiences, shared learning opportunities, and more. It’s also nice to socialize with other people in the industry without talking shop — you can make new connections through the group and find a place in the community. 

Cultivating relationships with other trainers can be intimidating, especially for people who get along better with dogs than humans. Don’t be scared — industry veterans sometimes seem aloof, but they’re just people who want to make sure newbies are being taught well. If they have the opportunity to make a positive impact on the community by guiding new trainers, then it’s a win-win situation. 

Know of any other ways to find a great mentor as a new dog trainer? Let us know in the comments.

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