Would training as a dog behaviourist be a realistic career change?

[FreshDoughDaily]

Bit of background: my career was over quickly as I married into the armed forces. Once we had DS, closely followed by DD it wasn't possible for me to return to my shift pattern as a theatre nurse.

Various jobs that fit around everyone else have been the pattern ever since. Now DS is an adult and DD almost there, I've got the space to do what I'd like. An email enquiring about returning to practice hasn't even been acknowledged and I really don't want to work nights ever again.

So, I've seen a dog behaviourist course. I've always wanted to be a dog walker but never had the freedom to set up as one, plus there seems to be millions of them everywhere. However, when I look for dog care for my two, everywhere seems to be full. One of our dogs is an idiot near a ball. DF has just told me how much he has struggled when walking him as a favour for me. I've often thought about asking a dog behaviourist for help but they charge £150 an hour.

Would it be a ridiculous idea to train as one myself? Am I likely to make a career as one? I love being outside regardless of the weather. I'm 45 early next year and most importantly the job I currently do ends this month as the funding for my post is not being renewed.

Dog owning Mumsnetters, I'd be grateful for your opinions.

Thank you 😊

My only comment would be that it’s a noisy market, and I’d want to know that your qualification was a reputable one as there seems to be plenty of people with some flimsy dog behaviour qualification that come up with ludicrous advice.

I think a well rounded dog business would be viable though - dog walking, dog sitting, dog training, dog behaviouralist as that way you’re not relying on the behaviouralist niche and instead offering more - and I’d pay more for a better qualified dog walker and dog trainer, for example.

(full disclosure - I have paid a dog behaviourist, we go to regular dog classes (think scent training, agility rather than just puppy training), I don’t pay a dog walker, would love a one on one dog sitter but use kennels for my not dog friendly dog).

This is essentially what I am doing. It's a long story as to why and how, but you need to do a qualification that is recognised by the Animal Behaviour Training Council.

It will take you a few years as it is a masters level course, but there are many steps along the way to get you going. Start with a basic training course. I wouldn't bother with walking, go straight for daycare and boarding if you are able.

Make sure you get licensed, and insured, and don't under charge.

Honestly, if I am looking for someone who can help with dog behavioural challenges and/or for boarding the first thing I look for is experience and knowledge of particular breeds. Too many people claim they are gods gift and know everything about every dog and can fix everything and have bugger all experience but all the 'qualifications' under the sun.

So firstly, you should decide what sort of dogs/behavioural issues you want to work with and then go from there. The best behaviourists are the ones who recognise their limits. The only behaviourist/trainer I would ever recommend only works with retrievers. She won't touch other dog breeds at all. Because she, like the owners, knows that a retriever is never going to respond the way a GSD or a Poodle (for example) will. The 'issues' might be the same, but the underlying reasoning for those issues is very different - a retriever (which has literally been bred to return and 'present you' with an item) resource guarding is obviously going to require very different handling to a dog that was bred to guard life-stock, for example.

But there is a huge difference between being a dog walker and a dog behaviourist and running a boarding house/kennels. So you need to decide if you want to do one, two or all three. And then you need to get qualified. And you need good insurance and a licence. And then you need clients. It's not something to do because you're unsure what to do next, or because it's a whim, because to be actually good at working with dogs you have to be really passionate.

No one wants to work with the behaviourist who has done some generic classes and a course and who's solution to everything is 'medicate' the dog. Ditto no one wants a dog walker who just shove the dogs in a car and takes them to a freedom field. It takes time to build up a client base, so whilst it's not ridiculous to want to do it...I would ask yourself why you want to do it before you leap.

I recently looked for a new trainer/ behaviouralist.
Honestly, besides qualifications I looked at experience with animals and dogs in particular. I think experience is no 1 top priority, preferably with different breeds of dogs. Her own safe spaces for training was also high on my list.
My current trainer is a qualified vet nurse, has a BA in dog behaviour as well as several certificates for dog training - she does compete with her dogs. She's had dogs all her life, her parents did breed dogs when she was still at home. That leads me to my no 2 top priority: my current trainer understands dogs in their entirety. Sadly an awful lot of people, trainers, behaviourists and dog lovers do not understand dogs. I've been around lots of dog people but only a handful truly understand dogs.

Dog behaviourist is a very long journey. Minimum requirement is a degree then usually a Msc. Costly and takes several years.

It is a very hard emotional job. The best for the dog is not always what the owners want. However they are the ones that are paying. It is more a people job than a dog job.

Most qualified behaiourists will have long observational visits then have written reports that take many hours to create.

It is not a job being with dogs.

If you want to train dogs then dog training may be a better option. However again this take many years to do properly.

I do have a Msc but have choosen against the behavioural route but do work with dogs and specialise in a specific dog discipline. However to do this I have competed at high level and have results to prove my ability with several dogs. I also have operational evidence that I can do the job to a high level.

Dog sitting and dog walking may be a quicker option to earn money but again you do need to get experience. Costs are high you will need insurance licencing if boarding dogs. A vehicle to transport the dogs suitable areas to exercise the dogs safely.

Again it is a hard job. Think of this summer income was slashed due to the hot weather and not being able to walk the dogs as too hot. You will spend a lot of time collecting the dogs. If you walk in groups you will need experience of making these groups work. Things can go wrong very quickly in groups of dogs.

There are easier ways to make money

Lots of people 'buy' accreditation as dog trainer/ behaviourist but give awful advice! Apart from having 2 pet dogs what qexperience of training and dog behaviour do you have?

I'd look for experience, videos of dogs you'd worked with and personal recommendations over qualifications when selecting someone to work with a difficult dog.

I would say that if you want to work with dogs then don’t become a behaviourist, because a good 90% of behavioural issues are down to the humans, so you have to be really, really good at communicating with them (and training them). You also need a bloody thick skin as nobody likes being told they’re the reason their dog is doing X, Y or Z.

I’m a dog walker and have been doing it for almost 7 years now. I’ve had plenty of dogs come and go in that time and while I absolutely love what I do, it isn’t easy. Being out in all weathers is one thing, doing it for 6 hours a day, day-in, day-out is quite another. Winters are a long slog and hot summers aren’t much better with constant cancellations, 5am starts and pop-ins because it’s too hot to take the dogs out after 10am for days or weeks at a time.

I wouldn’t swap my job for anything but there are days like today where it pissed it down for 6 hours solid and I came home, dried off and then had to go back out again to get rained on some more - and I do wonder if I’m slightly mad 😂

If your dog is developing issues around balls, it would probably be wise for your DF to not take a ball when he walks the dog.
If he's stealing other dogs' balls then he needs to be popped back on a lead before he gets the chance. At least until you've got a behaviour plan in place going forward