10 Mar 08 I want to become a service dog trainer?
Hazel Eyes asked:
I am not wanting to do this because I am not smart. I can do any career that I put my mind to. What I would like though is a college that focuses on service dog training not dog training. Is there a college like that out there? I would prefer the college to be in Ohio. I have been a puppy raiser before so I have a bit of experience.
I know how to train a service dog because I have trained a service dog. Since she was 8 weeks old. Please don’t get my question confused with that. I want to be a Service dog trainer or instuctor as a career. I have all ready raised one.
I am not wanting to do this because I am not smart. I can do any career that I put my mind to. What I would like though is a college that focuses on service dog training not dog training. Is there a college like that out there? I would prefer the college to be in Ohio. I have been a puppy raiser before so I have a bit of experience.
I know how to train a service dog because I have trained a service dog. Since she was 8 weeks old. Please don’t get my question confused with that. I want to be a Service dog trainer or instuctor as a career. I have all ready raised one.
Tags: Career, Dog Trainer, Puppy Raiser, Service Dog Training, Smart, Train Dog, Train Service, Training Dog
That would be an awesome career! There are different ways you could get involved with that. One way is to train a service dog. To do this, you contact the service dog agency, you are assigned a puppy, and then you train it. You go to some classes so that the agency can see that your dog is on the right track to being a service dog. Then after a few years the dog takes a test and if it passes, the dog is assigned to a person with special needs.
Another thing you could do is contact the organization that trains service dogs in Ohio and see what qualifications you need to work for them. They will be the best ones to tell you how to get a job doing what they do. There usually aren’t colleges for dog trainers of any sort. Getting involved in training dogs that have jobs also depends on what type of service dog you want to train and whether you actually want to be the one training the dog or if you want to supervise others training the dogs.
Either way, I’d look up the organization that deals with service dogs in your area to see if they can give you some ideas on where to start in terms of schooling or courses they require you to have to work there.
Good luck!
I do not know about Ohio, but you may be able to get answers from these sites.
Also here is the Ohio Canine S&R team site they may also be able to help you out.
You have to be smart to train SDs. Try
I trained my own SD by myself and he does 55 commands to assist me.
If you don’t find a school, I suggest watching Caesar Milan and how he works with dogs. He’s dead-on correct in many areas, although I do some things differently.
The main thing is I train from the time the dog’s eyes are open and by 3 months old, my doberman puppy sat, came, sat pretty, layed on command, went potty outside and knew “off” for the sofa.
The key is repetitive training. Over and over and over, broken record syndrome…repeat the task and the dog will learn it as a second nature.
My dog is turning 3 in May, and he does 55 commands 100% of the time and 14 tricks that are not tasks, so I don’t count them.
There is an organization online called SARA (Service Animal Registry of America) and they allow you to purchase a trainer license. and should you later test out your training skill on 2 or 3 other dogs, and find that you do have a knack, there is no school that can train that knack into you. You either have it or you don’t.
I just was born that way. I understand dogs. Like Caesar Milan, I was raised on a ranch with german shepherds, my father a professional trainer (something you do not need a license for) and I learned from just being part of the kennels there.
I don’t know if this helped, but it gives you hope. You won’t have to go to a professional school to learn to train…you can hire a local trainer and she/he can teach you how to train.
I suggest getting a puppy and going to puppy classes for obedience first. They will teach you little secrets, such as how to step out to make the dog walk next to you and how to get the dog’s focus, and how to teach a command.
Once you learn those basics, if you have “the knack” it’s going to go from there…you’ll figure out the rest.
I really hope this helps.
Good luck! I find you very admirable for what you want to do. There are so many disabled people in the world who can’t afford schooled dogs such as those bought from large programs.
I know when I was searching the cheapest program I could find was 12k. I just don’t have 12k and I know I could never fund raise it. It was a 2 year waiting list to boot.
Then, when you get the dog, they train you along side it for only 2 weeks, and you take this young dog home and YOU must finish his training.
So, low and behold, you have to know how to train anyway.
Good luck.