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How becoming a dog trainer changed my life

dog trainer

After spending most of my life working in the media and in charities with a focus on promoting environmental and animal conservation and welfare, becoming a dog trainer was not something that had crossed my mind until I took some time out and started a small dog walking and minding business.

Fast forward to today and who would have thought that combining my love of animals, particularly dogs, and story telling through the media would see me becoming a dog trainer and in turn creating a national TV show and digital platform all about dogs!!

It goes to show that no matter where you are in life, new opportunities and the chance to follow your passion are always around the corner.

It doesn’t all just happen though of course without a lot of hard work and also ensuring you seek out the experience and qualifications that you need to do a job justice.

For me, that was hearing about the National Dog Trainers Federation and their Certificate in Dog Behaviour and Training, and literally starting their next course the very next weekend. Fate hey?

What I found most enlightening over the next 9 months of the part-time course was learning about why and how dogs do what they do, and how often us owners get it wrong and really don’t understand the psychology of dogs at all.

For me, the NDTF course not only made me think more like a dog, but also provided me with both the intellectual and hands on practical experience I needed to go on and work with dogs (and their owners!) as a dog trainer.

It enabled me to really understand their behaviour, the role of genetics and how a lack of socialisation, environmental enrichment and poor leadership is so often at the primary cause of some very common dog behaviour problems.

It also means that I can now share on this information with you and other owners through our show and website to  help create a greater understanding of our dogs, their needs and behaviour.

However, providing you with the information is one thing but, as we all know, learning is best achieved through our own hands on experience.

So, as a dog owner or dog lover, a foster carer or if you’re working in another pet services role, I would honestly recommend taking a peek at the NDTF website to find out a little more about their course, regardless of whether you want to become a professional dog trainer or not.

It really did change my life for the better and I’m pretty sure Darcy will agree it did to his as well!

In the meantime, we hope you enjoy this week’s episode of Pooches at Play, and learn plenty of training, health and other useful tips to help you care for your pooch.

Lara & Darcy x


About the Author: Lara Shannon is co-Host of Pooches at Play and has completed a Certificate III in Dog Behaviour & Training with the National Dog Trainers Federation. Lara also runs her own dog training, minding and walking business in Melbourne’s Bayside area.

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