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Being the Trainer

A collection of 6 posts

What should you do next as a new dog trainer? A practical career roadmap

Being the Trainer

What should you do next as a new dog trainer? A practical career roadmap

Early in your dog-training career, it can be hard to know where to focus. You may be starting from a course, years of work with your own dogs, time spent volunteering, or a new interest you are trying to turn into professional work. Whatever brought you here, you may

Goldendoodle lying on a bed indoors, looking alert and relaxed in a home setting.

Are you ready to move into dog behavior consulting?

Many professional dog trainers do not start out with the goal to get into behavior consulting. They start with training: Puppy classes, manners and family dog classes and all those skills clients frequently ask for. Loose leash walking. Recall. Settle on a mat. Private lessons for jumping, pulling, counter surfing,

Dachshund in glasses on yellow background for an article explaining what a dog behavior consultant does and how it differs from dog training.

What is a dog behavior consultant? How the role differs from dog training

Many dog professionals reach a point where basic training questions start to turn into bigger behavior questions. A dog can sit, stay, and walk nicely in class, but at home, they panic when guests arrive. A client says their dog is “stubborn,” but the pattern looks more like fear, stress,

When training isn’t enough: The skill gap most dog professionals eventually face

Being the Trainer Featured

When training isn’t enough: The skill gap most dog professionals eventually face

Updated June 26, 2026 If your usual training plans stop working, the issue may not be your skill as a trainer. Some cases require behavior consulting skills: identifying the function of behavior, evaluating risk, understanding context, and building a systematic plan instead of relying on training tactics alone. This article