If you’re passionate about something, then it’s natural to want to build your career around it. Doing a job that you love will give you greater satisfaction in life, and you’ll generally work harder and do better.

It’s quite natural that dog lovers should look for a career where they can work alongside dogs every day, or work in a field where what they do helps and benefits dogs, either in their local area or around the world.

Animal Behaviorist

An animal behaviorist is a bit like a psychiatrist for pets – they look at what influences their behavior and try to find ways to resolve difficult, problematic, or antisocial tendencies so that the animal, their owner, and those around them are happier. While an animal behaviorist will work with different types of animals, dogs are by far the most commonly in need of such attention. You’ll go into family homes to observe the relationship between the dog and their owners, look for triggers and underlying causes, and make suggestions as to how things can be put right.

An applied animal behaviorist will need to take a postgraduate program in behavioral science. Veterinary behaviorists are licensed vets who take extra courses and qualifications in order to specialize and gain certification. Like regular animal behaviorists, they can make recommendations on training and modification, but they can also make medical diagnoses, carry out treatment, and prescribe medication.

Veterinary Surgeon

What could be better for a dog lover than a job helping injured and sick animals, including dogs, recover and get back to health? You’ll need to be emotionally resilient, however, as it’s difficult seeing dogs in distress day in, day out – and sadly, not all of them will survive. Putting dogs to sleep when necessary is a big part of the role.

To become a qualified veterinary surgeon, you’ll need to spend four years at college, followed by four years at veterinary school. Veterinary technicians and veterinary assistants will need to complete shorter courses of study. There are many openings for qualified veterinary workers. Greencross Vets is Australia’s leading provider of high-quality veterinary services and is always on the lookout for professional, dedicated employees.

Canine Hydrotherapist

Older dogs, overweight dogs, and dogs recovering from surgery, illness or injury may all benefit from hydrotherapy. This is a form of low-impact physiotherapy using water to exercise the dog’s joints and muscles. You’ll need to be a good swimmer, confident in the water, and you may need to teach dogs to swim. Canine hydrotherapists will need to be observant, physically fit, and have an appropriate scientific background.

Dog Caregiver

This role covers several different occupations. A professional dog sitter will go into people’s homes and look after their dogs during the day, or maybe stay overnight if they’re away. This will also involve exercising their dog, but you could also go into business as just a dog walker, often taking several dogs out in an afternoon while their owners are at work. You’ll generally need a driving license and your own transport, which must be big enough to fit in a group of dogs of different sizes and temperaments.

You could also look for a job in boarding kennels or at a doggy daycare center. You don’t generally require any special qualifications or experience and will receive on-the-job training. On the other hand, it’s often hard to work for relatively low pay, and you’ll spend a lot of time cleaning up dog mess. As with all animal-related jobs, there is also always the risk of injury.

Dog Groomer

You can start off as an assistant in order to learn the basics of dog grooming and then study in order to become fully qualified and accepted as a member of the National Dog Groomers Association of America. You’ll need to be physically fit and confident handling large and/or uncooperative dogs as you wash and trim their fur to prevent matting and shedding. You’ll also need to be on the lookout for problems such as rashes, fleas, and ticks.

Dog Trainer

As a certified dog trainer, you’ll be teaching pet dogs to respond to basic commands and learn good manners and discipline. This job can also involve testing and, if necessary, working on the temperament of rescued dogs before they are rehomed. More specialist roles could involve training guide dogs, seizure alert dogs, and medical detection dogs. In this case, you’ll start with puppies from six weeks old.

These are just a few of the career options open to dog lovers. If any of them sound like they could be suitable for you, then you may want to volunteer locally before you decide to look for paid work. The experience will stand you in good stead and is an essential requirement in many cases. Working with dogs can be hugely rewarding, whichever direction you chose to go in.

Originally posted 2020-10-09 18:25:33. Republished by Blog Post Promoter