Ideas from trainers

M

MetroGSP

Member
I'm looking at getting out of my chosen profession and starting a new one. I'd love to get started as a pointer and retriever trainer, but it's a daunting task to say the least.
What I've considered is getting my own dog, which is one major reason for the career change, and getting him AKC and or NAVHDA titled to get my name out there. I've also considered doing an apprenticeship with a local trainer, but I haven't talked to any yet.

Any ideas or stories on how you got into it?
 
The trainer I use was an apprentice with Tom Dokken, (MN) for 10 years, then started his own business. Might be a way for you to start. You're one the right track, having your own dog and learning from that experience.

You might try calling several trainers and investigate how they started, how easy was it and other questions germane to starting a small business.

Good Luck!
 
Thanks. I'm on that track also. Just hard to take that first step out of my comfort zone. Thanks for the ideas.
 
You have to love dogs and training even more so. Crossing over between pointing dogs and flushing dogs is going to be tuff. Join a training group, visit a kennel, attend a seminar. Read as much as you can. Try to figure out your strengths and weaknesses and how they affect your training philosophy.
Good trainers will take a little from each of all those before and adapt it to work for their program. You're in Colorado? take a look at Gary Ruppel
 
Thanks. Yeah I'm a clean slate and not training anything right now. I love the outdoors and I do as much hunting as I can every year. I'm looking to work towards working for myself and maximizing my time at home. I'm not sure whether my focus will be on pointers or flushers or water dogs, maybe all three. I can say thAt I'm looking to start small, mine and one or two others as I live in suburbia. Maybe it's a pipe dream, but it's still early in the process.
 
What you will find is each dog is unique. Line up 10 black labs and they will all take to training a little differently. So even if you have success with one dog, that doesn't necessarily apply to every dog you will encounter. Start by training your dog and maybe a buddies. Get involved in a few training groups, learn the hunt test rules and games. Then try it under a trainer and see if you have the love of dogs to work with them all day every day for months on end. Good luck with your new adventure.
 
Not to be harsh but I doubt training and titleing one dog will get your "name out there". I also would suggest start out doing all breed obedience (larger market but poor pay) and as your skills and experience grow you will find your niche. I've worked with/for a few retriever trainers and have loved it but I've also seen enough of the long hours, the sometimes miserable working conditions etc to make me think twice about hanging up my shingle.
Where are you located?
 
Gatzby said:
Not to be harsh but I doubt training and titleing one dog will get your "name out there". I also would suggest start out doing all breed obedience (larger market but poor pay) and as your skills and experience grow you will find your niche. I've worked with/for a few retriever trainers and have loved it but I've also seen enough of the long hours, the sometimes miserable working conditions etc to make me think twice about hanging up my shingle.
Where are you located?
Click to expand...

I'm located in Commerce City, just outside of Denver.

Training and titling my own dog wasn't meant to create a business boom. It was just one place to start. I understand the long days and little pay, as I grew up farming. In fact when and if I get this off the ground it'll be limited to 2 or 3 client dogs at a time especially since we don't have room for a ton of clients.
I have been a flight instructor for the last 18ish years and while training dogs will add a level of difficulty, my experience has taught me to adapt my teaching to people who learn differently, and at different paces. I have been watching technique videos and working on picking and choosing my techniques I want to keep for my training syllabus.

You bring up some very good points to consider. Thanks for the input.
 
If you have a patient disposition as it sounds like you do being a flight instructor. Dogs are not so different from teaching grade school aged kids. Taking your own dog and putting a title on it will give you invaluable experience as well as make you a better trainer on the next dog and the next exceterra. As I’m a birdog guy (pointing breeds) a great trainer and trialer once told me “ Once you’ve finished out 50 or so dogs, then you’ll kinda of know what you’re doing!” LOL.
Good luck in your new endeavor and stay patient.
 
I think there are things about being a dog trainer that sound really appealing.

I knew a guy 20ish years ago who got 3 pups of different pointing breeds in the early spring, trained them all summer, and then sold them in the fall as started hunting dogs. However much longer he kept them, the price just went up as they got more experienced and better trained. My friend ended up with one of his dogs, and it was a great hunting dog for many years.

It always seemed like something that would have been fun to do. I doubt if he made much money on the deal, but he enjoyed it and he probably at least broke even. Might be a good way to get some experience... I had considered doing it before I had kids, but I know how attached I get to dogs and I would just end up keeping the whole pack. haha.
 
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