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Animal Trainers

Also called: Dog Trainer, Guide Dog Mobility Instructor (GDMI), Horse Trainer, Trainer

Where in the Marine Corps? In the Marine Corps: Military Working Dog Handler

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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
  • 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 Outlook
New job opportunities are very likely in the future.
Salary
$31,280
$23,160
$58,790
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See more details at O*NET OnLine about animal trainers.