Alternative careers with animals

While a career working with animals may be what you want, you may worry that you don’t fit the mould for a “normal” type of job. How do you combine your passion for the not so ordinary, with a realistic future of paying bills and possibly, being your own boss?

A career as a veterinarian, veterinarian assistant, dog groomer, or wildlife ranger, are the typical professions dog lovers gravitate towards when they think of working with animals they admire and love so much. However, there are plenty of other careers dog lovers don’t consider.

Careers with Animals involve having relevant training and being able to demonstrate a genuine interest in animal welfare. A recognised, accredited Diploma or Certificate course will ensure that you have a good chance of being employed in the animal care sector. There are colleges that offer alternative type of career study options, for people looking for the not so ordinary choices, but remember however, that as with all study options, it is important to ensure that wherever you study, that courses are recognised by the relevant course authority. An example of this is Animal Behaviour Consultants of South Africa, who are the registering authority for animal behaviour consultants in SA.

If you want to work with or help heal animals, don’t let your skills and compassion go to waste. Consider these alternative careers, which require a fraction of the education, training, and tuition expense.

Dog Handler

A dog handler is someone who trains and shows purebred dogs in professional competitions. These are the people you see in those dog shows dressed to the nines in suits or formal dresses. Dog competitions, especially the upscale ones, are quite fancy, and do require rigorous work at certain times. In addition to their per hour rate, people who hire dog handlers also pay for their travel fare to get to competitions. In exchange, dog handlers must make sure their contestant is ready to challenge other competitors and become the champion. Becoming a dog handler takes a tremendous amount of passion for both purebred dogs and professional dog shows as it requires a lot of travel, dedication, and perspiration.

Service Dog Trainer

Being a service dog trainer can be quite rewarding. After all, the pups these professionals train will go on to help people with disabilities live full lives as much as possible. Being a service dog is an admirable career and training one can be, too. Dog trainers should take courses where possible but experience is also highly recommended and appreciated in this career.

Use your healing touch: Animal massage specialists

This is a job where you spend your days making animals feel good and relieving them of their discomfort. It doesn’t get much better than that. But before even thinking about placing your hands on animals aside from your own, make sure you have the proper credentials – and that you can even practice. If you’d like to work as an animal masseuse, your best bet is to check the requirements in your country, then determine your course of training. Opportunities may be available in vet clinics and hospitals, day care & boarding services, and grooming salons. Or you can try setting up your own business. Animal behaviourists could work with any animal all over the world if they received the right education and obtained the right experience.

Heal the Animal Psyche: Trainers, Counsellors, and Behaviourists

This career can be quite fun for animal lovers as it is their job to observe animals and figure out how they tick. Similar to being a psychologist or psychiatrist, animal behaviourists observe animals, sometimes in their homes or with their families, to see how positive or negative reinforcement can affect their behaviour

Animals can suffer from emotional and mental disorders – and can benefit from professional help. Hmmm . . .not much different than us. But not all behaviour therapy is considered the same.

There are different categories of animal behaviour professionals – trainers, certified professional dog trainers, applied animal behaviourists, and DVMs who can become certified veterinary behaviourists. Each of these titles requires different levels of experience and credentials; and encompasses different sets of responsibilities.

Work for a veterinarian or academic setting as a behaviourist for example, and you’ll likely need a degree in an animal behaviour discipline. As a dog trainer or “counsellor” you may simply need experience working with dogs, but training is always of benefit.

Professional Dog Walkers

Professional dog walkers go to clients’ houses, pick up dogs, take them on designated walking routes, and sometimes make sure the animals have food and water at home. Animal care and service workers, including professional dog walkers, have few training and educational requirements, but there are courses available which can be of great benefit. Some organizations offer certification programs for pet sitters and dog walkers that include coursework or on-site training in animal body language, first aid and welfare, dog behaviour and leash training. Certification requirements may also include a passing score on an exam. Becoming a professional dog walker might mean starting a dog walking business or working for an established dog walking company, both of which could be benefitted by some official course training. Professional dog walkers should be comfortable working with and sympathetic to dogs, as well as their owners. They should be able to control animals of varying size and strength, capable of walking for extended periods, comfortable working in all weather conditions and willing to dispose of animal droppings.

There are many other interesting and out of the ordinary careers that can be persued with animals. Canine aggression courses, animal communication, behaviour management, and the like. There are wonderful courses that can be taken both part time or online, so never give up if you have a dream to expand your knowledge or change career paths to something you are passionate about.