My daughter interviewed me for her Sociology class at Wayne State University. I thought I would share her paper!

How did you get started in your field of study?

As a forever dog lover, I started my college career in the veterinary technician program at Macomb Community College because I felt like that was my only choice as an animal lover for a career with dogs. Although, once I started the program, I just didn’t like seeing the dogs on the exam tables upset and scared. It was then that I decided I wanted to study the dog’s brain and how they think and learn. The medicine side of the animal industry was not my calling, and I just knew it. Something told me I wanted to be a teacher of dogs, not their doctor, so to speak. One day a close friend called me with a job opportunity at a dog care center called Yuppy Puppy. I grabbed the chance to get to know dogs immediately! My career of many learning experiences began the very moment I took that job for years to come. Little did I know at that time that I would eventually start my own company that employe hundreds of people, treat and care for thousands of dogs, and serve our local community in so many ways! 

What is your educational background?

I attended both Macomb and Oakland Community Colleges. I originally majored in architecture and later switched to a focus on marketing and business development. Since that time I’ve attended hundreds of workshops, seminars, webinars and online courses with force-free dog trainers, behavior consultants and veterinarians both in-person and online. It’s amazing what you can learn from online dog training courses. You just have to find the right organizations to trust. To this day, I still attend webinars on a monthly basis and work with dog training coaches regularly for my own dog. I’m currently working with an amazing animal acting coach from California and I attend in-person classes with experienced Freestyle Dog Dancing coaches locally in my hometown. A good dog trainer never stops learning!

What are the educational requirements for this career path?

At this time, there is no mandatory certification needed to become a certified pet dog trainer. The problem with this is that anyone can claim to be a professional or say they are certified, yet they are not obtaining the necessary valuable information from the latest research and findings offered by leading scientists, authors, researchers, and veterinary behaviorists. I continuously educate myself as a proud member of several trusted scientific organizations that specialize in animal learning theory. I am currently an American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen Tester and my dog has one leg toward her title as a Freestyle Dog Dancer. I’m a member of many associations I’m very proud of for dog training and business plus I also just recently obtained my certification from the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers, earning the title of CPDT-KA (knowledge assessed.)

What is your favorite part of your job?

Offering peace and guidance to a family’s home that wasn’t there previously mainly due to lack of understanding of a dogs language and behavior. Most of the time, people mean well, they truly just don’t understand what dogs are “saying” but they think they do. This confusion causes anxiety for all the family members and the cycle continues. Finding calm for the entire family is what is what I love most about my job.

What is your least favorite part of your job?

I never know when to clock out. The “job” of empathy never ends so it’s very difficult to know when to “let go.”

My major/minor is in sociology, how can I best leverage this degree into a job in your field?

The truly successful dog trainers of the world know how to work with people. That’s what this career choice is all about. I can teach dogs to do lots of exciting and challenging things, but the true art to doing what I do, is knowing how to work with people. And not just the average pet parent either, these are dedicated people who are suffering with extreme aggression in their home, property that’s been destroyed, marriages that are taking a toll, children who are afraid of the dog, the list goes on. Being able to truly identify the needs of the people and set them up with a training plan that will be successful for both the needs of the pet and their person takes skill and understanding of the human mind as well as an understanding of the canine brain. I continuously take courses in mindfulness and best practices for coaches and mentors as this career choice is much more than just being a dog trainer. 

What experiences, skills, and abilities does your organization or company look for when hiring new people? 

I like to look for experience from the applicant as a caregiver, an educator or a leader in some way. This career choice involves a great amount of guidance and empathy with strong communication skills.

What didn’t you know before you got into this industry that you wish someone had told you?

Rest and refuel by finding quiet times with the breath and rely on daily rituals such as meditation, nature, time with your own dog, exercise and proper nutrition. It’s so important to stay strong both mentally and physically for this line of work. 

Trust the process. Somehow everything works out the way it’s supposed to when you choose a career path based on a purpose with a mission. 

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