Walking and Talking w/Felix Ep. 1: How to Get Into the Dog Training Industry (Part 1)
Have you ever wondered how to become a professional dog trainer or what it takes to get into the dog training industry? It's a question I get asked pretty regularly, and it's the perfect topic to kick off our newest YouTube series, Walking and Talking w/Felix.
At Primal Canine, we've been working with dogs professionally since 2013, and over the years, I've had plenty of people reach out asking about getting started in the industry, gaining experience, and what it's really like to make a career out of training dogs.
So, I figured it was time to start having some of these conversations on camera!
Introducing Walking and Talking w/Felix
The idea behind this new series is pretty straightforward.
Since getting our new drone, I've been learning how to use it to capture more of our training sessions and everyday activities. I figured, why not take Felix for a walk, practice using the drone, and answer some of the questions I regularly get from dog owners, aspiring trainers, and people already working in the industry?
A little multitasking never hurt anyone haha.
Walking and Talking w/Felix will be a more casual, conversational look into the dog training world.
We'll cover topics like:
Getting started in the professional dog training industry
Developing skills and gaining hands-on experience
Working dog training and personal protection dogs
Different training philosophies and techniques
Lessons learned from working with dogs over the years
Running a professional dog training business
Questions submitted by viewers and fellow trainers
The goal isn't to make everything overly polished or scripted. I want these conversations to be an opportunity to share experiences, discuss different perspectives, and hopefully provide some useful information along the way.
And Felix gets some exercise out of it, so everybody wins!
Episode 1: Getting Into the Dog Training Industry
For our first episode, we're covering a question that comes up pretty frequently:
"How do I get into the dog training industry?"
Professional dog training is a broad field. From pet obedience and behavior modification to working dogs, protection training, and specialized disciplines, there are numerous directions someone can pursue.
Getting started can feel overwhelming, especially when you're trying to figure out where to learn, who to learn from, and what kind of training you actually want to do.
There's also a difference between enjoying working with your own dog and developing the experience necessary to work professionally with dogs of different temperaments, behaviors, and abilities.
In this episode, we begin discussing getting into the industry and sharing some perspective from my experiences building Primal Canine.
Whether you're interested in becoming a professional dog trainer or you're simply curious about what working in the industry involves, I hope these conversations give you something useful to think about.
Why Hands-On Experience Matters in Dog Training
One of the things worth considering when pursuing a career in dog training is the importance of practical experience.
Understanding training concepts is valuable, but applying those concepts to different dogs is where you really begin developing your skills.
Dogs aren't all the same. Their genetics, temperaments, motivations, learning histories, and individual personalities can create completely different training experiences.
A technique that works well with one dog may need to be adjusted for another.
That's why aspiring trainers should look for opportunities to work with experienced professionals, observe different training approaches, and gain exposure to a variety of dogs.
Developing the ability to read behavior, understand motivation, communicate clearly, and adapt your approach takes time and repetition.
These are some of the broader subjects we'll be exploring throughout the series as we talk more about professional dog training.
Why This Is Only Part 1
Originally, I intended to cover more of this topic in our first episode, but apparently learning to operate the drone properly comes with its own set of challenges haha.
I had to restart the recording several times because I didn't have the settings quite right.
So rather than trying to cram everything into one video, we're making this conversation a two-part episode.
We'll continue discussing getting into the dog training industry in Part 2.
Hopefully, as I get more comfortable using the drone, we can spend less time dealing with the equipment and more time actually talking dogs!
A New Weekly Dog Training Discussion Series
Our plan is to release new episodes of Walking and Talking w/Felix weekly, weather and scheduling permitting.
Unlike our regular training videos, where we focus heavily on individual dogs, training sessions, and explaining the exercises we're working through, this series gives us an opportunity to explore broader topics.
We want to discuss the dog training industry, share personal experiences, answer common questions, and talk about subjects that might not fit naturally into our other videos.
And we want you guys to be part of the conversation.
Have a question about becoming a dog trainer, working with protection dogs, running a training business, or anything else related to dogs?
Leave it in the comments on our YouTube videos. We may cover your question in an upcoming episode.
Watch Walking and Talking w/Felix — Episode 1
If you're interested in learning more about getting into professional dog training, check out the first episode of Walking and Talking w/Felix on the Primal Canine YouTube channel.
This is just the beginning of the conversation, and we'll be expanding on the topic in Part 2.
Let us know what you think of the new series, and don't forget to subscribe so you don't miss future episodes!
About Primal Canine — Professional Dog Training in Gilroy, California
Established in 2013, Primal Canine is a professional dog training company based in Gilroy, California, serving clients throughout the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond.
We offer training programs covering puppy development, basic and advanced obedience, behavior modification, off-leash training, working dog development, and personal protection training.
Our approach focuses on understanding the individual dog, developing clear communication, and building training programs around each dog's abilities, temperament, and goals.
Through our YouTube channel and educational content, we share real training sessions, explanations of our techniques, and behind-the-scenes experiences from our daily work.
Learn more about our programs at www.primalcanine.com.