- to be thorough and pay attention to detail
- patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
- the ability to work on your own
- customer service skills
- the ability to work well with others
- the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
- knowledge of teaching and the ability to design courses
- thinking and reasoning skills
- excellent verbal communication skills
- to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device
Your day-to-day duties may include:
- working with volunteers who foster puppies and young dogs
- helping dogs to adjust to the routine of basic training
- training at a more advanced level related to the dog's future work
- matching dogs to owners
- training dogs and owners together
- providing aftercare and support for owner-dog partnerships
You could work at a client's business or at a client's home.
Your working environment may be you'll travel often and outdoors in all weathers.
With experience you could progress to a role like area team supervisor, training manager or regional training manager.
Your experience as a trainer could lead to a care support job, like rehabilitation worker.
You could move into a related field, like veterinary nursing or working as an RSPCA inspector.
You could also set up your own business, and provide services like dog obedience classes or private dog training.
You can find out more about becoming an assistance dog trainer from:Guide Dogs; Hearing Dogs for Deaf People; Dogs for Good; Canine Partners; Dog A.I.D.
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