Animal Trainers Occupation Details

General Job Description and Education/Training Levels for Animal Trainers

The main tasks and work activities of Animal Trainers are to monitor health or behavior of people or animals, administer basic health care or medical treatments, evaluate capabilities or training needs, maintain facilities. In general, for the Animal Trainers, instructing, learning Strategies, speaking, critical Thinking and other 10 skills are required.

Animal Trainers Job Description
Education	These occupations usually require a high school diploma.
Related Experience	Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is usually needed. For example, a teller would benefit from experience working directly with the public.
Job Training	Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
Example	These occupations often involve using your knowledge and skills to help others. Examples include orderlies, counter and rental clerks, customer service representatives, security guards, upholsterers, and tellers.

The following chart shows the education/training levels for Animal Trainers jobs. 44.38% of Animal Trainers have High School Diploma (or the equivalent) and 7.85% of Animal Trainers have Post-Secondary Certificate.

Less than a High School Diploma

22.64%

High School Diploma (or the equivalent)

44.38%

Post-Secondary Certificate

7.85%

Some College Courses

16.56%

Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)

6.82%

Bachelor's Degree and Above

1.75%

Tasks and Work Activities of Animal Trainers

Observe animals' physical conditions to detect illness or unhealthy conditions requiring medical care.
Cue or signal animals during performances.
Administer prescribed medications to animals.
Evaluate animals to determine their temperaments, abilities, or aptitude for training.
Feed or exercise animals or provide other general care, such as cleaning or maintaining holding or performance areas.
Talk to or interact with animals to familiarize them to human voices or contact.
Keep records documenting animal health, diet, or behavior.
Advise animal owners regarding the purchase of specific animals.
Instruct jockeys in handling specific horses during races.
Train horses or other equines for riding, harness, show, racing, or other work, using knowledge of breed characteristics, training methods, performance standards, and the peculiarities of each animal.
Use oral, spur, rein, or hand commands to condition horses to carry riders or to pull horse-drawn equipment.
Place tack or harnesses on horses to accustom horses to the feel of equipment.
Train dogs in human assistance or property protection duties.
Retrain horses to break bad habits, such as kicking, bolting, or resisting bridling or grooming.
Train and rehearse animals, according to scripts, for motion picture, television, film, stage, or circus performances.
Organize or conduct animal shows.
Conduct training programs to develop or maintain desired animal behaviors for competition, entertainment, obedience, security, riding, or related purposes.
Evaluate animals for trainability and ability to perform.
Train dogs to work as guides for the visually impaired.

Making Decisions and Solving ProblemsAnalyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
Performing General Physical ActivitiesPerforming physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.
Training and Teaching OthersIdentifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
Performing for or Working Directly with the PublicPerforming for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
Thinking CreativelyDeveloping, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or SubordinatesProviding information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal RelationshipsDeveloping constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
Identifying Objects, Actions, and EventsIdentifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
Getting InformationObserving, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Communicating with Persons Outside OrganizationCommunicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.

Monitor health or behavior of people or animals.
Administer basic health care or medical treatments.
Evaluate capabilities or training needs.
Maintain facilities.
Clean facilities or work areas.
Care for animals.
Train animals.
Document client health or progress.
Discuss service options or needs with clients.
Organize recreational activities or events.

Skills and Abilities for Animal Trainers

InstructingTeaching others how to do something.
Learning StrategiesSelecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
SpeakingTalking to others to convey information effectively.
Critical ThinkingUsing logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Active LearningUnderstanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
MonitoringMonitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Judgment and Decision MakingConsidering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Active ListeningGiving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Social PerceptivenessBeing aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Time ManagementManaging one's own time and the time of others.
Complex Problem SolvingIdentifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Service OrientationActively looking for ways to help people.
CoordinationAdjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

Problem SensitivityThe ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
Oral ExpressionThe ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Oral ComprehensionThe ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Speech ClarityThe ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
Information OrderingThe ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
OriginalityThe ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
Fluency of IdeasThe ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
Speech RecognitionThe ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
Deductive ReasoningThe ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Gross Body CoordinationThe ability to coordinate the movement of your arms, legs, and torso together when the whole body is in motion.
StaminaThe ability to exert yourself physically over long periods of time without getting winded or out of breath.
Trunk StrengthThe ability to use your abdominal and lower back muscles to support part of the body repeatedly or continuously over time without 'giving out' or fatiguing.
Written ExpressionThe ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
Multilimb CoordinationThe ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.
Manual DexterityThe ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
Written ComprehensionThe ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Selective AttentionThe ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
Category FlexibilityThe ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
Inductive ReasoningThe ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
Far VisionThe ability to see details at a distance.

Domestic pet training kitse.g. Agility A-frames
Domestic pet training kitse.g. Agility dog walks
Domestic pet training kitse.g. Agility jumps
Domestic pet training kitse.g. Agility pause tables
Domestic pet training kitse.g. Agility see-saws
Domestic pet training kitse.g. Agility tire jumps
Domestic pet training kitse.g. Agility tunnels
Domestic pet training kitse.g. Agitation sticks
Whipse.g. Agitation whips
Safety sleevese.g. Bite sleeves
Protective coverallse.g. Bite suits
Domestic pet training kitse.g. Bite tugs
Domestic pet training kitse.g. Clicker targets
Therapeutic heating or cooling blankets or drapese.g. Dog cooling vests
Muzzlese.g. Dog muzzles
Animal collarse.g. Dog training collars
Reinse.g. Draw reins
Ear plugse.g. Equine ear plugs
Harnesses or its accessoriese.g. Equine training harnesses
Harnesses or its accessoriese.g. Flat halters

Customer and Personal ServiceKnowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Education and TrainingKnowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
PsychologyKnowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
Administration and ManagementKnowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
English LanguageKnowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

Animal Trainers Occupation Detailed Description

Tasks and Work Activities of Animal Trainers

Skills and Abilities for Animal Trainers