Becoming a Professional Dog Trainer - 4 - Choosing Your Specialization
Now it's time to get serious! Think about what you want to do within the profession.
What do you want your business to look like? Do you want to hold group classes and privates? Just privates? Do you want to specialize in a sport such as agility? Do you want to do board and train? Do you want to have employees, or do you see yourself working alone? How big do you want your business to get? Remember - the bigger it becomes, the less time you'll spend training.
This can be good or bad - it's totally dependent on your personality.
Do you want a facility, such as a kennel or training facility, or do you want to work out of your home.
If you have a facility, you'll probably have to have employees.
Also, you need structure - set hours, vacation time, etc.
And - you'll have bills! You have to make money if you have a facility.
If you work out of your home, you'll have more flexibility, but probably make less money.
You can still make a good living, but you are subject to the number of hours in a day - you can only work with a set number of clients in a day.
However, you can still increase that income by having employees.
Another consideration is what you really love to do.
Do you really love dogs enough that you want to spend your entire day with them and have little contact with people? Or, is your interest really in the people - helping them have a great relationship with their dog? This is a crucial question and will go far to inform you about what you want your business to look like.
What do you want your business to look like? Do you want to hold group classes and privates? Just privates? Do you want to specialize in a sport such as agility? Do you want to do board and train? Do you want to have employees, or do you see yourself working alone? How big do you want your business to get? Remember - the bigger it becomes, the less time you'll spend training.
This can be good or bad - it's totally dependent on your personality.
Do you want a facility, such as a kennel or training facility, or do you want to work out of your home.
If you have a facility, you'll probably have to have employees.
Also, you need structure - set hours, vacation time, etc.
And - you'll have bills! You have to make money if you have a facility.
If you work out of your home, you'll have more flexibility, but probably make less money.
You can still make a good living, but you are subject to the number of hours in a day - you can only work with a set number of clients in a day.
However, you can still increase that income by having employees.
Another consideration is what you really love to do.
Do you really love dogs enough that you want to spend your entire day with them and have little contact with people? Or, is your interest really in the people - helping them have a great relationship with their dog? This is a crucial question and will go far to inform you about what you want your business to look like.
