17/06/2026
Someone sent me a social media Reel yesterday, which sparked a wider reflection on a message currently being circulated that I think needs to be challenged.
I appreciate that most people who follow my page are not dog trainers or behaviour professionals. However, I think this is an important conversation because the ideas being promoted don’t just affect those working in the industry; they can also influence the expectations and experiences of dog owners seeking help.
I am deeply committed to every one of my clients and their dogs, and I hope they all feel supported, valued and listened to throughout their training journey.
So, it was a message from a dog trainer who was advocating for dog training as something that can be done on a part-time basis, alongside other jobs and income streams. The trainer spoke about supplementing income by doing “𝓪 𝓫𝓲𝓽 𝓸𝓯 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓪 𝓫𝓲𝓽 𝓸𝓯 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽” basically, and presented this as a perfectly reasonable way to build a career in dog training.
To be honest, that phrase alone really annoyed me.
Not because I believe everyone should start out full-time. Most of us don’t. I certainly didn’t.
What bothered me was the message behind it.
In an unregulated industry, where many professionals are actively pushing for higher standards, greater accountability and ultimately some form of regulation, I believe this is exactly the wrong message to be putting out there. In my opinion, it undermines what many of us who have dedicated our lives to this profession are striving for.
Dog training and behaviour work are not “𝓪 𝓫𝓲𝓽 𝓸𝓯 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓪 𝓫𝓲𝓽 𝓸𝓯 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽.”
Those of us who run successful dog training and behaviour businesses work incredibly hard for our clients, their dogs and the reputation of our profession. We work incredibly hard behind the scenes, often in ways that the public never sees.
Quite frankly, if you’re not prepared to put your heart and soul into this very special and privileged profession, then perhaps it isn’t the profession for you.
This isn’t just a job where you turn up, spend an hour with a client and go home.
It can be an emotional rollercoaster. We deal with people’s frustrations, fears, anxieties and struggles. We help owners who feel overwhelmed, defeated and sometimes even heartbroken. We carry a huge responsibility when it comes to dog welfare, owner education and, in some cases, public safety.
The training session itself is often the smallest part of the job.
The real work continues long after the client has gone home. Case reviews, training plans, follow-up reports, continuing education, researching individual cases, supporting clients between sessions, reflecting on outcomes and continually developing our own knowledge all require significant time, effort and commitment.
For me, dog training was never something I simply “had a go at.”
I started my own journey while working in a demanding full-time job. I studied, attended courses, assisted experienced trainers and gained practical experience before deciding that dog training was the career I wanted to pursue. Yes, I started training part-time, but my goal was always to become a full-time professional and invest everything I could into developing my knowledge, skills and experience.
For me, the issue isn’t whether someone starts part-time. Most of us have to.
The issue is the message we give to people entering the profession.
Dog training and behaviour work carry significant responsibility. Again, we influence the welfare of dogs, the relationships between dogs and their owners, and in some cases public safety. That responsibility deserves commitment, continual learning, practical experience, self-reflection and accountability.
There shouldn’t really be a discussion about part-time versus full-time, as many highly skilled professionals work part-time. The more important discussion is about commitment, capacity and standards.
We all have a finite amount of time, energy and mental bandwidth. If someone is maintaining one or more other careers in order to make dog training financially viable, it is reasonable to ask whether they can truly give their clients, their dogs and their own professional development the level of attention this profession deserves.
When commitments are spread across multiple jobs, can any of them really receive the very best that individual has to offer?
The dogs and owners who seek our help deserve access to professionals whose time, energy, skills and experience are not diluted by competing priorities. They are placing their trust in us to help them navigate what can often be challenging and emotional situations, and that trust should never be taken lightly.
I worry that when dog training is promoted as something you can fit around “𝓪 𝓫𝓲𝓽 𝓸𝓯 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓪 𝓫𝓲𝓽 𝓸𝓯 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽”, it unintentionally contributes to the wider problem our industry already faces: inconsistent standards, poor advice and people presenting themselves as experts before they have gained sufficient knowledge and experience.
The industry is already saturated with individuals calling themselves trainers or behaviourists with little meaningful education or practical experience. At the same time, social media increasingly rewards attention rather than accuracy, allowing some people to build audiences and monetise them before they have developed genuine expertise or meaningful practical experience. Unfortunately, it is often the dog owners who pay the price for that.
I absolutely support people starting where they are and building experience gradually. I did exactly that.
But I believe the aspiration should be excellence and professionalism.
I believe the aspiration should be to continually learn, continually improve, continually challenge yourself and continually raise standards.
Those of us who are fully invested in this profession should be encouraging high standards, continual development, accountability and a genuine commitment to the dogs and owners who place their trust in us.
The industry as a whole needs to raise the bar, and I believe that starts with the message we give to those entering it.
Dog training isn’t “𝓪 𝓫𝓲𝓽 𝓸𝓯 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓪 𝓫𝓲𝓽 𝓸𝓯 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽.”
It’s a profession.
It’s a responsibility.
And most importantly, it’s a commitment to the dogs and people who trust us to help them.
