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The differences between dog trainers and guide dog instructors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a dog trainer and a guide dog instructor. Additionally, a guide dog instructor has an average salary of $49,458, which is higher than the $32,811 average annual salary of a dog trainer.
The top three skills for a dog trainer include PET, training techniques and customer service. The most important skills for a guide dog instructor are kids, adventure, and CPR.
Dog trainers can be self-employed or work for animal clinics, shelters, and dog daycares, where they teach dogs commands and resolve various behavioral issues. They may also choose a specialization, such as service dog, puppy, or trick training, show dog grooming, and aggression management. It is also part of their responsibility to evaluate the disposition of dogs and temperaments to provide progress updates to dog owners and teaching owners how to reinforce good behavior. Moreover, this job requires dog trainers to be passionate and patient about training dogs.
A guide dog instructor trains dogs, which are used as guides by people with disabilities. A guide dog helps a great deal for people who cannot do certain tasks on their own. It helps people with disabilities gain independence and also allows them to be mobile. A guide dog can help with assisting people through traffic and also help assess dangerous situations. Your duty may also involve training people who are vision-impaired on how to use and take care of their guide dogs.
Dog trainers and guide dog instructors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Dog Trainer | Guide Dog Instructor | |
| Average salary | $32,811 | $49,458 |
| Salary range | Between $22,000 And $46,000 | Between $33,000 And $72,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | - |
| Highest paying state | - | - |
| Best paying company | - | - |
| Best paying industry | - | - |
There are a few differences between a dog trainer and a guide dog instructor in terms of educational background:
| Dog Trainer | Guide Dog Instructor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 40% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Criminal Justice | Biology |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between dog trainers' and guide dog instructors' demographics:
| Dog Trainer | Guide Dog Instructor | |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 38.9% Female, 61.1% | Male, 60.0% Female, 40.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.5% Unknown, 7.0% Hispanic or Latino, 14.9% Asian, 1.7% White, 71.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 4.4% Unknown, 7.8% Hispanic or Latino, 14.3% Asian, 1.7% White, 71.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 16% | 16% |