Careers with Dogs. Kim Campbell Thornton
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at Pennsylvania’s Bucknell University can earn a bachelor of arts or bachelor of science degree in animal behavior. The interdisciplinary major combines the study of biology and psychology. Coursework includes chemistry, math, physics, biology, and psychology, plus electives in the humanities, social sciences, languages, and cultures. Classes cover animal behavior, behavioral ecology, and organic evolution, to name just a few. Students have the opportunity to perform research with faculty and study abroad in environments as diverse as Asia, Africa, and Australia.
Canisius College, located in Buffalo, New York, says it offers more undergraduate courses in animal behavior than does any other four-year college or university. Students have access to internships at the Buffalo Zoo and the Aquarium of Niagara, as well as at other, more distant animal facilities such as Chicago’s Brookfield Zoo and the Dolphin Research Center in Florida. Its minor in animal behavior has six required courses: comparative animal behavior is required for everyone, and students choose the other five classes from a range that includes social organization of mammals; sex, evolution, and behavior; animal learning; behavioral neuroscience; reproductive biopsychology; and vertebrate zoology.
At Purdue University (above) in Indiana, through its Center for the Human-Animal Bond, undergraduates with any major can study the issues surrounding the role of animals in society and earn a certificate in animal welfare and societal concerns. The interdisciplinary undergraduate program, which requires sixteen to eighteen credit hours, is designed to educate students about the sociology, ethics, biology, behavior, and economics of animal care and use; provide a scientific and philosophical basis of animal care and use; teach students how to resolve conflicts concerning the humane use of animals; develop leaders in animal policy development; and inspire research to improve human and animal well-being. Required courses include biology, animal welfare and human interaction, companion-animal management, evolution of behavior, applied small-animal behavior, and ethics and animals as well as a research project related to human-animal interactions.
In addition to on-the-job training, those interested in a sales career in pet products can turn to formal education. Junior college or college courses in accounting, business, and other relevant topics can lead to a store management position.
Veterinarian technician Christa Carlson examines a dog at Blum Animal Hospital in Chicago, Illinois.
Most writing and editing jobs require a college degree in English, journalism, or some other liberal arts field, such as anthropology or history. Anthropology is a good foundation for studying and understanding the culture of dog ownership, which is a large part of writing for or editing a publication about dogs. Knowledge of history benefits all journalists and editors, because it allows them to place events they cover in context. And, of course, the study of English and journalism is the basis for learning how to write in a correct, clear, and entertaining manner—one that will hold readers’ interest as well as inform them.
Sometimes formal education and on-the-job training go hand in hand. For instance, even though police work doesn’t necessarily require formal education beyond the police academy, candidates with the best prospects are those who have studied criminal justice, psychology, or another related field in college. And people who want to be search-and-rescue handlers should have superb outdoor survival and navigation skills, usually acquired through personal experience.
Dog-related careers in the sciences require a different kind of hard work. Veterinarians and biologists must earn a four-year college degree, followed by three or more years of graduate study. Besides an understanding of anatomy and physiology, veterinarians need the fine motor skills to perform delicate surgery as well as the strength to perform difficult orthopedic surgeries on large dogs. Veterinarians who wish to specialize face additional years of study and testing before they can become accredited.
Profiles of Master’s Degree Programs
The Tufts University Center for Animals and Public Policy, established in 1983, offers a master of science in animals and public policy. According to the center, this program “explores historical, philosophical, scientific, cultural, legal and political underpinnings of contemporary human-animal relationships.” The curriculum includes animals in society, human-animal studies, and public policy. With this degree, graduates may continue study in such fields as veterinary medicine or law or find work at nonprofit organizations, with corporations, or at government agencies. Some graduates of the program become editors, writers, journalists, shelter administrators, or humane educators.
The University of Illinois (above) offers a master of science degree in biology with a specialization in applied animal behavior. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) provides adjunct support. The in-residence, two-year interdisciplinary program is designed to provide graduate training for careers in such fields as applied animal behavior, companion-animal-behavior consulting, and training and behavior for shelter animals. Each student must complete a research project. Students applying to the program should be able to show evidence of animal-related experience, such as volunteering at an animal shelter, training animals, or exhibiting dogs or cats.
Amie Lamoreaux Hesbach, relaxing here with her dogs, worked as a licensed physical therapist before becoming a certified canine rehabilitation practitioner.
While veterinary technicians and technologists don’t have the same lengthy course of study as veterinarians do, they must be graduates of two- or four-year programs in their fields. Because of advances in veterinary care that require prior training, strictly on-the-job training is a rarity.
Pet rehabilitation is another area that calls for extensive education. Pet rehab practitioners may start out by studying human physical therapy, which requires a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree. Although any undergraduate major is acceptable, students in the initial stages of undergraduate preparation should consider a major in kinesiology or the biological sciences, which tend to be the most direct routes to a physical-therapy program. This path requires additional study to learn animal anatomy so that the rehabilitator can appropriately apply physical-therapy techniques. Other pet rehab practitioners are veterinarians who have gone on to study physical-therapy techniques so they can use them in their practices.
Professional Requirements and Licensing
Regardless of their paths of learning, people in the fields of grooming, training, and handling can improve their skills and build their businesses by meeting the requirements for membership in a professional organization, such as the National Dog Groomers Association, the Association of Pet Dog Trainers, or the Professional Handlers Association. Licensing is another factor to consider. Trainers and professional handlers can simply hang out a shingle and they’re in business. Groomers, however, may be required to be licensed in the states where they work. They may also face restrictions on the services they’re allowed to perform—such as cleaning teeth—unless they’re working under the supervision of a veterinarian. Be aware of licensing and other professional requirements before you decide on your career path.
Experience Versus Education
Don’t be discouraged if years of difficult study don’t sound appealing. Not everyone is suited to that, and not every pet-related career requires a college degree. Sometimes experience does trump book learning. The success of dog trainer Cesar Millan is an example of what can happen if you have a knack for dealing with animals. You may find that apprenticing with a well-known trainer, groomer, or handler is considered just as valuable as a college degree, if not more so.
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