How to become a dog trainer (the ultimate guide)

So, you’re thinking about becoming a dog trainer! Perhaps you’ve started out as a dog walker or working at a doggy daycare or you volunteer at a rescue and want to progress into training.

Or maybe you have no experience yet of working with dogs but would love to work with dogs full time. 

In this blog, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know to help you decide whether dog training is the right career for you - and how to make it happen. 

What do you need to become a dog trainer? 

To become a dog trainer, you need: 

• Practical experience

• A commitment to ongoing learning

• Fantastic observation skills

• An interest in humans (as well as dogs)

• A willingness to learn the business stuff (as well as the dog stuff)

• Support from a coach or community 

Get hands on experience

Find a positive reinforcement-based trainer to shadow. Look for someone who prioritises the wellbeing of both dogs and owners over rigid obedience and compliance. It may take time to find someone, be willing to travel a bit and spend time building a relationship with them. 

• Attend their classes with your own dog.

• Volunteer to support classes (don’t expect to do this immediately - build relationships first).

• Offer to help in small ways, like making tea or holding dogs for clients.

• Observe closely: watch how the dogs respond, how the trainer manages the class, and how clients engage.

Volunteer at a Rescue

Rescue centres offer invaluable hands-on experience and a brilliant opportunity to develop your observation skills. 

• Walk dogs and assist with kennel cleaning.

• Watch how dogs communicate and practice gentle handling.

• Remember, your role is to support the rescue and make their work easier.

Observe dogs in everyday life

Your local park can be an excellent learning environment. Watch how dogs interact, read their body language, and start understanding their communication signals. This informal experience is invaluable!

What qualifications do I need to be a dog trainer?

The dog training industry is currently unregulated, which means anyone can set up as a dog trainer at any time without any qualifications or accreditation. But that doesn’t mean you should! There are very good reasons for getting a solid education:

1. Everything you learn equips you better to support the dogs and people you work with.
2. Regulation may become reality in future
3. Good clients value qualifications & accreditations
4. Formal training will set you up for success (and with a support network)

1. Everything you learn equips you better...

The best dog trainers never stop learning - so it is never too early to start! The only real canine experts are the dogs themselves but if we commit to learning from experienced trainers and specialists, we will gather the knowledge we need to really support our clients and their dogs. We need to know not just training theory, but what is normal dog behaviour, how they communicate, what their needs are and how to meet them, breed differences and similarities - as well as how to teach and coach - and much, much more...

2. Regulation may become reality in future

Not only will you feel out of your depth very quickly without the right training and support, but regulation is something that many organisations are advocating for. Because without it, the general public can have a difficult time finding a reputable dog trainer with the right skills. If you look at the proposals for qualifications, you can make sure you are regulation-ready if and when it comes.

3. Good clients value qualifications and accreditations

Well informed dog guardians actively look for professional trainers who’ve invested in their skills and education. This isn’t a hobby business and demonstrating your commitment to your profession goes a long way.

4. Formal training will set you up for success (and with a support network)

Getting a recognised and reputable qualification will set you aside from your competition and give you great foundation skills and knowledge. 

There are dozens of organisations who provide training that is designed to get you started as a dog trainer and organisations that accredit trainers and provide ongoing support. Some do both.

Degree or Diploma courses are worth taking if you are getting started. If regulation ever happens, having an externally recognised qualification will be the easiest way to prove your credentials to become certified. 

Choose quality education

While courses can be beneficial, avoid ones that promise quick accreditation for a low price or in a short time frame. You’re learning about an entirely different species, as well as how to become a teacher - you should expect this to take some time. 

Seek out high-quality programs taught by established professionals. Not all valuable courses will be externally accredited, but that doesn’t mean they’re not worth taking.  

Take as many dog training courses as you can!

You can’t learn too much! The more courses exploring different areas of dog education you can take, the better. If you have a dog, take them along to workshops to learn different skills: scentwork, Hoopers, ACE, tricks are just some of the things that will benefit you in your future career - even if you don’t intend to teach them. The more you work with your own dog, the better you will be at understanding how to teach your clients.

Study theory and canine behaviour

Dog training isn’t just about the practical - it’s about understanding why things work. 

Learn about:

• Positive reinforcement, choice-based training and why it’s effective.

• Canine body language and emotional states.

• The connection between physical health and behaviour.

If you’re short on funds, read books and attend low cost webinars - there’s so much accessible education available for people who want to learn. 

Join a reputable training organisation and get involved. 

Remember not all dog training organisations and memberships are created equal, so look at their code of ethics and what they don’t say (as well as what they do). 

You want to be sure you are joining an organisation where your colleagues share your values and where you are not at risk of affiliating yourself with people who’s ethics and conduct don’t align with your own.  

Also look at what they offer you as a member - ensure you’re not just paying for a badge that has no meaning. 

Many organisations are run as private limited companies and therefore may have shareholders to serve. Others are limited companies without shares and some are even Community Interest Companies like the APDT (UK) which operate to serve their communities. If you’re not sure - ask!

Always check the people behind the organisation you are considering (this information should be publicly available) - do they align with your ethics?

Ideally make sure your organisation is recognised - in the UK by the UK Training and Behaviour Charter or the ABTC and in the USA the CCPDT. These organisations are working towards regulation and it will stand you in good stead for the future. 

Find a route that aligns with you and the way you want to work. Talk to dog trainer friends and ask for recommendations.

Is it hard being a dog trainer? 

The realities of being a dog trainer might look slightly different to what you imagine - but that doesn’t mean it’s not a dream job! Here are some of the things you should know to help you make your decision.

1. Dog training is a lot about working with people 

Most people want to get into dog training because they love dogs and want to spend all their time working with dogs. But you should know dog training is as much a people business as a dog business - sometimes more so!

Your job is to help guardians to understand their dog and to learn how to work with them, which means you need to be an excellent human teacher as well as a great dog trainer.

2. Puppy training isn’t as easy as you think

Many new dog trainers begin with teaching puppy classes, but this is actually a lot harder than it appears! Picture a class full of baby puppies with no life skills, new puppy guardians who all need guidance, and you trying to help them all at once! 

A better route to getting started may be offering 1-2-1 training working on skills such as recall and loose lead walking - these are two things that guardians are often searching for help with. This will allow you to hone your practical handling skills as well as your people skills with one person and one dog at a time. 

3. Prioritise your emotional wellbeing

Working with people and dogs is an emotional job, especially if you’re helping with difficult problems. Self care is a vital part of running a dog training business - you have to take care of your own wellbeing so you can help others without burning out. 

4. You can’t ignore the business stuff

Unless you decide to work for somebody else, you’ll need to learn how to run and market a dog training business as well as delivering the service. From accounting to client onboarding, to packaging your services, and attracting clients to your services in the first place - there’s a lot more to running a dog training business than training dogs.

Get started with our Business Strategy 101 course here. 

Find a dog business coach - and ideally one who understands the dog industry. Having a community and a support network to guide and assist you on your journey to building a successful dog training business is invaluable.

Can you make a living as a dog trainer? 

Yes, you can absolutely make a living as a dog trainer. However, it will usually take time to build a reputation and to develop your marketing so that you can bring in enough clients on repeat.

Whether you’re offering training classes, 121s, or online training programmes, you’re going to need new clients on a fairly frequent basis to ensure you don’t end up leaping from feast to famine mode each month. The more diverse and robust you can make your business, the more likely you are to make a consistent, reliable income. 

Creating a hybrid business model from the get go is both better for your clients and creates resilience and security for you. You can include both face-to-face and online teaching, which will widen your prospective client base and deliver better results for your clients too. 

When you’re starting out, most people begin their dog training business alongside another job. That could be alongside a dog walking business or a completely unrelated job that gives you an income while you build your dog training business. 

How much does it cost to become a dog trainer

How much it costs to start a dog training business will vary depending on the type of business model you choose. Here are some of the things you may need:

• Education/courses (approx. £1-2k)
• Equipment (£200-300)
• Venue hire if running classes/workshops (From £20 an hour)
• Insurance (approx. £25 a month)
• Accreditation membership (approx. £100 a year)
• Resources for marketing & clients (approx. £1200)
• Flyers, leaflets and business cards (approx. £60-£100)
• Website (DIY approx. £200, done for you £500-£2000)

If you are currently working, use your income to set yourself up with a website, resources like class plans, student handouts and supporting materials for your student’s learning and to invest in your education.
It’s worth getting set up while you have reliable income and this will give you a real jump start. 

If money is tight then start with the basics and build gradually. You can set up a Google Business Profile and a Facebook page for free. You can work towards adding a website and resources as you grow.

Consider adding dog walking or pet sitting services to help bring in income and grow visibility in your area while you establish your new business.

Becoming a dog trainer is not easy, but it is very rewarding. Done right, it can become a flexible, reliable and satisfying career. Have fun on your journey!