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Pet behaviour consultants help pet owners deal with animal behaviour problems.
You could work: evenings / weekends; as customers demand
There will be
3.8% more Pet behaviour consultant jobs in 2029.
In your local area
As a pet behaviour consultant, you could:
You could work at a client's home, in a therapy clinic or at a veterinary practice.
Your working environment may be outdoors some of the time and you'll travel often.
You can get into this job through:
You could take a degree that includes the study of animal behaviour, though it is not essential. Relevant courses include:
If you want to become a member of a recognised professional or industry body you should check their preferred degree subject requirements.
As well as your degree, you will also need knowledge of different types of animals and animal breeds, and some experience of animal handling and training.
Postgraduate qualifications in subjects like animal welfare and behaviour, or applied animal behaviour and welfare, are also available.
You'll usually need:
You could take a course at college that would give you some of the skills and knowledge you need to start in an animal care role. From there, you could work towards further qualifications in animal behaviour.
Courses include:
You could apply to do an Animal Training Instructor Level 4 Higher Apprenticeship.
This takes around 2 years to complete.
You'll usually need:
You could start out as an animal care assistant, with:
With experience and the support of your employer, you may be able to train on the job to become a pet behaviour consultant.
Voluntary work with an animal welfare organisation, veterinary surgery or a pet rescue centre can be a useful way to get experience. This could help when you're looking for paid positions.
You can find out about volunteering opportunities from:
You can find specialist courses on animal behaviour with animal welfare and training organisations. It may help to work towards national standards or membership of a professional body, such as:
You can get more advice about working in pet behaviour through the:Animal Behaviour and Training Council; Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors
With qualifications and experience, you can apply for Certified Clinical Animal Behaviourist status. This recognises your skills and expertise and will allow you entry onto the Register of Certified Clinical Animal Behaviourists.
You could set up your own practice, work for an animal welfare organisation or get involved in animal behaviour research.