I wake up early, check emails, and work on marketing campaigns. Then I make sure the horses are fed and medically taken care of, get the horses groomed and saddled, ride horses all day, unsaddle, wash and groom them. Later, I work on accounting, make phone calls, sleep, and then repeat.
CAREER
Animal Trainers
Overview
Salary Median (2020)
$31,280
Projected Job Growth (2019-2029)
+27.1% (much faster than the average)
Career
Roadtrip Nation Leaders in This Career
What Animal Trainers Do
Train animals for riding, harness, security, performance, or obedience, or for assisting persons with disabilities. Accustom animals to human voice and contact, and condition animals to respond to commands. Train animals according to prescribed standards for show or competition. May train animals to carry pack loads or work as part of pack team.
Other Job Titles Animal Trainers May Have
Dog Trainer, Guide Dog Mobility Instructor (GDMI), Horse Trainer, Trainer
How Leaders Describe a Typical Day at Work
I work one-on-one with clients and their dogs at their homes or in their neighborhood. Using positive reinforcement, I teach clients how to train their dogs and achieve their goals for their pet or performance dog.
Tasks & Responsibilities May Include
- Cue or signal animals during performances.
- Talk to or interact with animals to familiarize them to human voices or contact.
- Conduct training programs to develop or maintain desired animal behaviors for competition, entertainment, obedience, security, riding, or related purposes.
- Feed or exercise animals or provide other general care, such as cleaning or maintaining holding or performance areas.
- Observe animals' physical conditions to detect illness or unhealthy conditions requiring medical care.
Education
Level of Education Attained by Animal Trainers
Most common level of education among people in
this career: High school diploma or equivalent (44%)
Less than high school diploma
High school diploma or equivalent
Some college, no degree
Majors Related to Career
Educational Paths Suggested by Leaders
Suggested Path
Bachelor
Agricultural Business and Management, General
Graduate
Business/Commerce, General
Associates
Horse Husbandry/Equine Science and...
Suggested Path
High School
Bachelor
Biology/Biological Sciences, General
Graduate
Biology/Biological Sciences, General
Certification / License
Computer Programming, Vendor/Product Cer...
Additional Skills & Experiences That Can Help You Excel
You need to have a high-level of problem solving. Be disciplined and determined. Running your own business is really hard and you have to commit a huge amount of your time to making it all work, especially when you are starting out. The survival and land navigation skills I learned in the military also came in handy when I started working on ranches and with horses. Be responsible. As the leader, you have to take responsibility for everything and everyone.
Specialized training using operant conditioning with an event marker (clicker training), basic business organization and marketing, being able to multi-task and be flexible, problem solving and communication skills. And of course, a love of dogs above all.
Getting Started
Recommended First Step for:
College Students
Study animal behavior and the psychology of animal learning.
Everyone
This page includes information from theO*NET 26.1 Databaseby the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under theCC BY 4.0license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
