Dog trainer vs pet handler

The differences between dog trainers and pet handlers 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 pet handler. Additionally, a dog trainer has an average salary of $32,811, which is higher than the $31,455 average annual salary of a pet handler.

The top three skills for a dog trainer include PET, training techniques and customer service. The most important skills for a pet handler are PET, , and .

Dog trainer vs pet handler overview

	Dog Trainer	Pet Handler
Yearly salary	$32,811	$31,455
Hourly rate	$15.77	$15.12
Growth rate	28%	28%
Number of jobs	76,324	42,867
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 40%	High School Diploma, 41%
Average age	40	40
Years of experience	4	4

Dog trainer vs pet handler salary

Dog trainers and pet handlers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Dog Trainer	Pet Handler
Average salary	$32,811	$31,455
Salary range	Between $22,000 And $46,000	Between $22,000 And $44,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between dog trainer and pet handler education

There are a few differences between a dog trainer and a pet handler in terms of educational background:

	Dog Trainer	Pet Handler
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 40%	High School Diploma, 41%
Most common major	Criminal Justice	Psychology
Most common college	-	-

Dog trainer vs pet handler demographics

Here are the differences between dog trainers' and pet handlers' demographics:

	Dog Trainer	Pet Handler
Average age	40	40
Gender ratio	Male, 38.9% Female, 61.1%	Male, 25.0% Female, 75.0%
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, 7.0% Hispanic or Latino, 14.7% Asian, 1.7% White, 72.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%
LGBT Percentage	16%	16%

Differences between dog trainer and pet handler duties and responsibilities

Dog trainer example responsibilities.

Accept shipments and manage using AS400 system.
Bathe all types of dogs including clipping nails, cleaning ears, brushing teeth and cleansing anal glands.
Train assigned K9's in explosive detection, obedience and control aggression, building searches, area and article searches.
Conduct training programs in order to develop and maintain desire animal behaviors, husbandry and well being for all animals.
Include cutting the animals hair, giving them a bath, blow dry also clips their nails and clean their ears.
Train dogs in show handling, tracking, k-9 work, bite work ,

Pet handler example responsibilities.

Achieve detailed grooming including skin, ear, nail care, coat clips and dental care.
Encourage sales of merchandise and products need for their new pet companions.
Track inventory of animals on a daily basis from shipments to sales.
Pet sitting, dog walking, transporting dogs to groomers and back home, cleaning up after the animals, etc.
Encourage sales of the avians that are for sale as well as the neccessary items need for their new avian companion.
Assist in answering customer questions regarding grooming, scheduling grooming appointments and maintaining salon cleanliness and safety.

Dog trainer vs pet handler skills

Common dog trainer skills

PET, 82%
Training Techniques, 14%
Customer Service, 1%
Behavior Issues, 1%
Various Training, 0%
Front Desk, 0%

Common pet handler skills

PET, 100%

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Updated January 8, 2025

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