Careers with Canines: Following Your Bliss

Can you see your dream job being advertised? “Spend your days with dogs and collect a paycheck at the same time!” There is a surprisingly high number of careers to explore within the dog world. Some are more hands-on than others, while others require high levels of education or training but all offer the sweet satisfaction of spending your days with dogs.

The Service Professions
There are many services that can be provided for the busy dog owner and of course his or her dog: grooming, walking and training are well known opportunities for careers. Indeed others exist as well. How about working at a boarding kennel or doggy day care, or if you have the right location, opening your own?

How About Retail?
Whether it is a big box stores or independent boutiques: stores that cater to the pet owning public are popular these days. If you have a head for business and an enthusiasm for pet products – or perhaps even your own product line in pet food, treats or dog beds – opening a retail pet supply store might be just the ticket for you. Of course if you do this, please consider a few things:

• Resist the urge to sell dogs
o There are plenty of dogs in shelters
o Most stores get their dogs from puppy mills, which are just foul places to get animals (a little Internet search and you will see what we are referring to)
• Do cater to all levels of dog owners, not just the affluent ones
o All dogs need food, supplies and toys
• By all means make your story pet-friendly
o Who can resist the clientele?
o Imagine receiving daily puppy kisses just for opening your doors

Are you Creative?
Creating and selling items such as “dog tags” for pet lovers, pet-themed jewelry, t-shirts, or household items such as mugs or dog bowls can be a fun way to make a living. These items can be sold over the Internet using sites such as eBay, Craigslist or Cafepress. Indeed you can try for a more local approach and explore selling on commission or on consignment at local pet stores or pet supply stores. Breed themed items, rescue oriented items with a percentage of profits donated back to rescue groups, or “my dog and me” matching items might be ways to distinguish your products from the those of the masses.

Health Related Careers
Veterinarians, veterinary technicians and animal hospital staff are the tried and true careers in canine health and healing. Although rather new but gaining in popularity as dog owners see their canine companions suffering from maladies that traditional medicine can’t cure are careers in alternative healing. Acupuncture, homeopathic care, massage and even mental health care for dogs are niche markets to explore. First, be sure to acquire a solid foundation in traditional canine health care, but then developing and offering a specialty in complementary or holistic health care may be a way to stand out form the crowd. As with some of the other careers mentioned above, creating your career in pet health care requires a significant investment of time in education and training. The costs involved in pursuing the education and training may be prohibitive for some, but as with any educational expense, the investment may well be worth it as you can look forward to years of enjoying a truly rewarding career.

Law Enforcement
If you have a penchant for hands on work with dogs in potentially dangerous or stressful situations, and/or a background in law enforcement, you might want to look into search and rescue work with dogs or working in a police or military K-9 unit. The handlers of these highly trained dogs act as the dog’s partner, reinforcing training, providing exercise and bonding and working daily with the dogs. Specialties such as narcotics sniffing, bomb/explosives detection, cadaver dogs and live search and rescue are all specific skills the dogs can develop and use.

Shelters
Whether on a volunteer basis or in a usually low-paying salaried position, careers working in dog shelters exist and often fill up fast. Between stray dogs and cats and people who bred dogs but later on realized the work involved in raising them, shelter/rescue dogs are on the increase. They need not only a place to live while awaiting their forever homes, but also companionship while living there. If you have ever gone to visit a dog in a shelter, either with the intention of adopting or to volunteer, you know how appreciate these buddies are.

As the expression goes, this is only scratching the surface. If you can dream it, the job exists. Working with dogs is as much fun as it is rewarding. They are apt to be far more appreciative and congenial than most coworkers in any office.