Animal Trainers

realistic interests animal command train interaction behavior performance personal service physical condition exercise

Dog Trainer, Guide Dog Mobility Instructor (GDMI), Horse Trainer, Trainer

What they do:
Train animals for riding, harness, security, performance, or obedience, or for assisting persons with disabilities. Accustom animals to human voice and contact, and condition animals to respond to commands. Train animals according to prescribed standards for show or competition. May train animals to carry pack loads or work as part of pack team.
On the job, you would:
  • Cue or signal animals during performances.
  • Talk to or interact with animals to familiarize them to human voices or contact.
  • Conduct training programs to develop or maintain desired animal behaviors for competition, entertainment, obedience, security, riding, or related purposes.

Knowledge

Business

  • customer service
  • management

Education and Training

  • teaching and course design

Math and Science

  • psychology

Arts and Humanities

  • English language

Skills

Basic Skills

  • talking to others
  • using the best training or teaching strategies for learning new things

Social

  • teaching people how to do something
  • changing what is done based on other people's actions

Problem Solving

  • noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it

Abilities

Verbal

  • communicate by speaking
  • listen and understand what people say

Ideas and Logic

  • notice when problems happen
  • order or arrange things

Endurance

  • exercise for a long time without getting out of breath

Personality

People interested in this work like activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions.

They do well at jobs that need:

  • Dependability
  • Integrity
  • Attention to Detail
  • Self Control
  • Independence
  • Cooperation

Technology

You might use software like this on the job:

Data base user interface and query software

  • Database software
  • Oracle Database Hot Technology

Presentation software

  • Microsoft PowerPoint Hot Technology

Enterprise resource planning ERP software

  • Oracle PeopleSoft Hot Technology
  • SAP software Hot Technology

Education

Education: (rated 2 of 5)
high school diploma/GED or
no high school diploma/GED
usually needed

Get started on your career:

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Job Outlook

Bright
New job opportunities are very likely in the future.
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See more details at O*NET OnLine about animal trainers.