A dog trainer is a fun and entertaining job from so many points.
You get to hang out with dogs every day and teach them cool things, but you also come to know the animal’s psychology and the way they think and react to different stimuli.
If you are interested in learning about dog behavior and how to manage you’re at the right place!
Let’s learn how you can become a great dog trainer in Tennessee!
Table of Contents
How to Become a Dog Trainer in Tennessee?
In order for you to have a good start in this career we’ve provided a few starting steps that will help you launch your career!
Step 1: Learn about dog behavior
As previously mentioned, every dog can have a different character.
You may come in contact with a range of them. From aggressive to lazy, to calm and obedient.
You will need to learn and practice until you get the hang of the verbal and non-verbal communication with the pups you train.
It’s always best to start while they’re young, but you may have grown clients as well.
You can learn about dog behavior online, through books, or by attending classes, workshops, and seminars.
Step 2: Start working
In order to learn you have to start working with dogs as soon as possible.
Not everything will be the same as it’s written online or in books.
The more practice you get, the better your understanding will become when it comes to dealing with a spectrum of behaviors.
Step 3: Educate yourself
After you gain the field experience you’ll be sure if you want to continue to pursue this career or not.
If you are, congratulations, you arrive at the next step!
Even though formal education is not needed in this field, you can attend free and paid online and offline classes organized by many schools and organizations.
You can also read up on dog psychology to understand how a dog’s thinking process happens as well as how to deal with different behaviors in the most practical way.
There are also plenty of videos on the Internet where you can visually learn many tricks!
Step 4: Promote yourself
Once you do all the previous steps you can get into the workforce!
In order for you to have work you need to let dog owners know your business exists.
You can easily do that with promotions via social media or a web page you’ll create for your services.
Dog Training School in Tennessee
A degree is not needed for you to become a professional dog trainer.
However, you can learn a lot through classes, aside from the field experience.
Here are a few courses that can help you with that!
Penn Foster
The program for Dog Obedience and training at Penn Foster is an affordable and certified course.
It is only online, so there are no workshops.
The course can be finished in as little as 7 months.
It is accredited.
Considering that it’s online, you can study whenever and wherever you please.
Behavior Vets
This organization is created for vets, for those interested in the dog training career!
They organize events, and workshops and have externships!
All classes are held by the creators of the organization.
They also provide other training-related services, such as taking on training dogs themselves.
The prices for the classes and workshops vary, the sooner you apply the cheaper it will be.
The events last up to a few days.
| School Name | Address |
|---|---|
| Penn Foster | 925 Oak Street Scranton, PA 18515 USA |
| Behavior Vets | 257 W 18th St. New York, NY 10011 |
Salary
The annual average salary of a dog trainer in Tennessee is $32,088.
The yearly pay can range from $29,144 to $35,122 depending on the city.
The pay is highest in Nashville-Davidson, with $32,543.
| Location | Avg. Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Memphis | $32,347 |
| Nashville-Davidson | $32,543 |
| Knoxville | $32,025 |
| Chattanooga | $31,470 |
| Clarksville | $31,704 |
| Murfreesboro | $32,299 |
| Jackson | $32,102 |
| Johnson City | $30,379 |
| Kingsport | $30,493 |
| Franklin | $32,430 |
Regional Salary in Tennessee
| Region | Employed | Avg. Annual Salary | Avg. Hourly Pay | Top 10% Annual Salary | Bottom 10% Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | 30 | $38,200 | $18.36 | $47,260 | $29,240 |
| Knoxville, TN | 40 | $46,410 | $22.31 | $86,880 | $29,620 |
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | 60 | $45,690 | $21.97 | $82,900 | $30,330 |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | ** | $54,520 | $26.21 | $104,460 | $30,510 |
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long will I need to learn to become a professional dog trainer?
Learning is a process that continues throughout your whole life.
There isn’t a solid period where you start and stop.
Depending on how good you are with animals it can take from a week to a few years in order for you to become good at it as well as certified.
Do I need formal education as a dog trainer in Tennessee?
No, you do not need a formal education, although it is better to attract clients.
If you do go to workshops, classes, and courses, make sure they’re certified.
How can I become a professional dog trainer in Tennessee?
You have to know how to work with dogs.
You also have to be aware that you’re working with an animal that doesn’t understand your language.
You will need to have patience, confidence, and professionalism when it comes to working with all the types of personalities that your doggie clients will have.
How to Become a Dog Trainer by State