If you've ever thought about turning your love of dogs into a career, there's now a place to get professionally certified right here in Bradenton.
Top Tier K9 Bradenton is one of just four certification sites across the country for Top Tier K9's professional dog trainer program. Owner Julie Madison leads the program here, and her next class starts in January.
The coursework is a 7-week program that is done online, making it easy to work around school or a day job. The week of hands-on certification happens right here in Bradenton, saving locals the cost of a plane ticket and a week in a hotel.
How the program works
The Professional Pet Trainer Program is open to students aged 16 or older, and classes typically range from 12 to 20 students. The training is held live online, with students working face-to-face with instructors through a computer, tablet, or phone. In Week 4, you’ll actually need access to a dog (any untrained pet will do) so you can demonstrate what you’ve learned. You’ll work with the dog at your home and get review and feedback from the instructors.
Once you’ve completed the coursework, it’s time to get certified. This consists of one week of intense in-person work, where you’ll train a dog and its owner under the supervision of a certified instructor.
One thing that sets this program apart is the business training that comes along with it. In addition to training techniques, students learn the business side of the job, including how to market their services, bring in clients, and manage those client relationships. The goal is for graduates to finish ready to open a business of their own.
Building a business from home
Graduates don't need a commercial kennel to get started. The program teaches them to run a training business from home, "the same way that I do mine," Julie says. It's a lot of work, she's quick to add, but it's also one of the better-paying ways to make a living with dogs.
Private lessons and short boarding stays for repeat clients offer other ways to keep the calendar full. Graduates who want a head start can also work under Julie's franchise, using Top Tier K9 marketing materials and her reputation while she refers clients their way.
Some certificants will come in from other states, complete their certifications, and go on to open locations back home. For those who stay nearby, there’s still plenty of business to go around.
"It's really not a ton of competition if you think about how big our county is," Julie says. Manatee County has about 470,000 residents, and 40 to 50 percent of them have dogs. One trainer can realistically work with about 120 dogs a year, leaving plenty of room for new trainers to build a successful business.
For Julie, more good trainers are a win for everyone. Many of the families who come to her have already tried other trainers first. The more well-qualified professionals there are, the better the odds that people find the right help the first time.
Who Makes a Good Dog Trainer
Wondering if becoming a certified dog trainer might be right for you? It starts with a love of dogs and some real experience handling them. From there, the program fits a wider range of people than you might expect.
It’s useful for anyone looking to get into vet tech work or other animal care careers. “A lot of vet schools train you on the science,” Julie says. “But they don’t really teach training.” These skills can come in handy when faced with a large-breed dog that would rather be anywhere else. Even if you never train a client’s dog yourself, you’ll know how to spot a good trainer to recommend. Another good candidate could be teens or adults with a pet-sitting side hustle.
Established trainers come to sharpen their skills, too. But the strongest fit may be people who want to build something of their own, those who have the work ethic to want to run their own schedule and not to work for anyone else.
From Student to Certifier
Julie knows the student side well. When she completed Top Tier K9’s Professional Pet Trainer Program, she was living in Connecticut and had to fly to Madison, Florida, to certify, since it was the only site at the time.
Her path with dogs started years earlier with Ralph, a rescue German Shepherd and Pit Bull mix who reacted intensely to other dogs on the leash. After adopting him, she began volunteering at the shelter he came from. She was only 15 years old and logged more than 300 hours over about three years helping shelter dogs get ready for adoption.
Today she’s a certified Pet Trainer and Foundation Dog Trainer. Her stay-and-train programs in Bradenton handle everything from jumping and counter surfing to leash reactivity, resource guarding, and aggression.
She also trains service dogs for veterans. Through a partnership with Canines for Heroes, she prepares dogs for service work and then coaches each veteran one-on-one as they learn to handle their new partner.
Whatever the dog, her approach is the same: work the dog in front of you. No two dogs learn the same way, so the training is built around the individual dog instead of a one-size-fits-all formula.
Ready to Get Certified?
You can visit Top Tier K9’s training website to learn more about the current programs, including current costs. To discuss the certification in person, call or text Julie at (203) 733-7183.
Top Tier K9 Bradenton is located at 820 33rd St. W., Bradenton, FL 34205.
Follow on Facebook and Instagram. And when you reach out, be sure to tell Julie you heard about her on Discover Bradenton!
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