Learn two animal careers simultaneously with Animal Behavior College. By taking more than one certification program you can broaden your skillset and make yourself more marketable.
Is It Possible to Take More than One Program at Once?
As a vocational school specializing in certifications and careers in the animal industry, Animal Behavior College (ABC) has been helping animal lovers pursue animal careers for almost 25 years.
ABC offers six animal career certification programs: the Dog Trainer Program, Cat Trainer Program, Veterinary Assistant Program, Pet Groomer Program, Aquarium Maintenance Program, and the Zookeeper Assistant Program.
However, did you know that Animal Behavior College offers the opportunity for students to dual enroll and take more than one course simultaneously? You may be asking yourself how that would benefit you and your career. Is taking dual programs at Animal Behavior College better than taking one? The answer is often a resounding YES!
Any of ABC’s programs can be taken together, but there are a few pairings that ABC suggests you consider when pursuing your education. One of our recommendations for dual studies is combining ABC’s Dog Trainer Program with our Cat Trainer Program.
One Person’s Success Story
Animal Behavior College graduate, Toni Grimm, can personally attest to this being advantageous. In fact, Toni took four of the programs offered at ABC. She enrolled in the Dog Trainer Program, Cat Trainer Program, Pet Groomer Program, and the Veterinary Assistant Program.
While Ms. Grimm’s experience of taking four ABC programs is extraordinary, she does illustrate how additional education in areas related to a primary interest or specialty can help a person in their goals of career advancement and helping more pets and the people who love them.
Before attending ABC, Toni already had 12 years of experience as a Veterinary Technician and a Chemist for 5 years, before being laid off during Covid. She had heard about Animal Behavior College a couple of years prior to enrolling, but when she was at a crossroads in her life she decided to take full advantage of the newly available time and learn as much as she possibly could to increase her marketable skills. Having a father who worked with rescues and a stepmother who was a groomer herself, Toni always had a passion for working with animals. In high school, she wanted to be a veterinarian and managed to land a job with a local veterinary clinic. This is where her passion for working in the veterinary environment started and grew.
When asked about which program she initially was interested in, Toni said that it was the Dog Trainer Program; but when she saw that there was a Cat Trainer Program, it piqued her interest as she had little experience in that field. In her opinion, there definitely is a career path for cat training. “I think that there is a career in cat training because people need it a lot more than we realize. Cats are the most misunderstood animals and sometimes even cat people don’t fully understand them.” Toni shared. She feels that the lack of this knowledge is what causes most cats to be surrendered to shelters. “It’s a developing field. Now that the industry is changing, people are wanting to focus more on the reoccurring [behavioral] issues. The more people become aware of the possibility of getting help, it will become a more blossoming field.”
Dog Training and Cat Training Pair Well
When asked if she thought it was valuable for a trainer to have knowledge on working with both dogs and cats, Toni suggested it was indeed valuable. Having the knowledge to train both species means you can help more animals find and stay in their forever homes. Why limit yourself and your career to just dogs or just cats?
Shortly after graduating from ABC, Toni was able to land her current position as a Veterinary Practice Manager. In her new role, Toni found that taking multiple ABC courses gave her some advantages. She believes that having multiple areas of education and knowledge makes her more rounded and allows her to understand viewpoints when approaching the problem at hand. Because of this knowledge, she runs into fewer dead ends when finding a solution for the pet and their owner.
Toni also brings up a great point in that just because someone may work in a veterinary clinic doesn’t mean that they are properly trained in animal behavior. Yet this lack of knowledge can create challenges when veterinary staff members are asked questions from clients about behavior that they aren’t able to answer or an employee approaches an animal in the wrong manner, setting the interaction up for failure. Therefore, further education in the behavior of both cats and dogs is beneficial, whether you are a trainer, vet assistant or a groomer. Toni is able to assist in all areas with the clinic including with some of the grooming needs. While unemployed, she would pet sit and walk dogs for income and continues to do that from time to time for supplementary income. Now when she pet sits or walks dogs, she is able to work with the training of the pets as well because of her education in both dog and cat training.
Get Ready to Love Your Animal Job!
Taking the dual program option at Animal Behavior College can open the doors to many opportunities as well as removing your limitations to just one field. There is a need for cat training that is yet to be widely recognized and once more people recognize the need, the number of cats surrendered to shelters will be lessened. Being a trainer with the behavioral knowledge of both cats and dogs will further your career and business. For those wanting to become a versatile trainer, Toni says “DO IT! Everyone needs it right now and there is a huge market currently due to so many people getting pets during Covid.”
ABC encourages everyone that is interested in the pet training industry to expand their education and not limit themselves to just one type of animal, species, breed or field. The more well-rounded a trainer is, the more animals they will save. If you are interested in enrolling in the programs offered at Animal Behavior College, check out more information at www.animalbehaviorcollege.com or call 800-795-3294 and ask about dual enrollment opportunities.
