Being a dog trainer.

Hi all. I think I finaly found what I want to do. I love dogs, love to watch how they learn, love to teach them. I think I've done pretty good job with Debo. And was thinking about dog trainer courses. I'm in Poland now, there few good ones but was also thinking to take one online in UK. The reason for that is one day would love to come back to England and would like to be allowed to work with dogs there. Do you know any good books about the subject? There is so many to choose from but I'm looking for the good ones. My dream is to open one day hotel for dogs so being a trainer and behaviourist would be handy.

I don't know about books Jola, but this is the course I would love to do:

http://www.britishcollegeofcaninestudies.com/Dog%20Behaviour.html

I don't but what a great idea, good luck with it  

I'm qualified as a trainer with the CIDBT, and on my way to completing my degree as a canine behaviourist (when I can afford to finish it) if you would like my reading list I can send it to you, but you would need to gain a qualification to actually work as a trainer, or behaviourist. The training courses are around £1,100 for both and you really need to be working with dogs whilst you're studying to gain the hands on experience. For the full degree you're looking at about £8,000. It's fully worth it but you get no finance so have to pay for it all yourself, if it's definitely what you want to do, but very hard work along the way! x

Thanks Kathy for the link. It looks really good. I'm looking for some books to get some theory before starting the course. Need to safe some monay first, courses in Poland are very expensive.

The books that got me started were "Think Dog" by John Fisher. "Dialogues with Dogs" by Bruce Fogle and "For the Love of a Dog" by Patricia McConnell

Thank you Rachel. It would be great if you could. I know it's expensive, in Poland for training course is 3600zl, it's nearly double what I earn monthly and behaviourist it's even more. And for the practice I would go to kennels, places like that. My friend has 2 dogs,totally untrained and she's happy for me to practice on them.

If you start on the books I posted a second ago they're good for general theory.. courses are very expensive, but also vital.. as far as I'm aware, in the UK at least, they're trying to bring in a clause that you have to be qualified to a certain level to practise as so many people are calling themselves behaviourists without a qualification.. it's ridiculous. Imagine practicing as a human behaviourist without qualification lol! Volunteer dog walking is a great way to get experience as is working with friends and families dogs, but you can't beat working in kennels. I started off in boarding kennels, got to meet so many different breeds (and learnt how not to get bitten lol!) and then got most of my experience in aggression and handling from stray/fighting dog kennels. Later moved onto assisting a behaviourist and working in a rehab kennels, and now i'm moving onto veterinary assisting to learn about the health side of things and how that can effect behaviour! It's all very interesting; but hard,dirty smelly work for minimum wage! And the amount of bugs I've caught from the dogs is ridiculous haha! It ain't glamorous, but I love it all the same

I'd love to do that

Wish I had done it when I was younger. Wish you were nearer Rach would love yo know what happened to Oz before we got him, why he acts as he does and how to handle it, we do our best but the DA can done times get an issue and not letting go of massive sticks or stuff he pinches when the us bring cheeky

Ah Sara, is there nobody in your area that can help? It's impossible (and quite irresponsible) to give advice on aggression without seeing it first hand as there are so many little things that can be missed, but if I can help at all I will! Out of all of Biscuit's little problems, I find the DA (well, fear/selectiveness) the hardest! The thing is, although some behaviours can be trained, all dogs have their own personalities; I for one know that Biscuit is an opinionated little madam and there's no chance in hell she's ever going to be okay with all people/animals/moving objects with wheels    but I have learnt to accept it and walks are definitely never boring.. lol!