Guide dog instructor vs pet handler

The differences between guide dog instructors 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 guide dog instructor and a pet handler. Additionally, a guide dog instructor has an average salary of $49,458, which is higher than the $31,455 average annual salary of a pet handler.

The top three skills for a guide dog instructor include kids, adventure and CPR. The most important skills for a pet handler are PET, , and .

Guide dog instructor vs pet handler overview

	Guide Dog Instructor	Pet Handler
Yearly salary	$49,458	$31,455
Hourly rate	$23.78	$15.12
Growth rate	28%	28%
Number of jobs	30,691	42,867
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 66%	High School Diploma, 41%
Average age	40	40
Years of experience	4	4

Guide dog instructor vs pet handler salary

Guide dog instructors and pet handlers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Guide Dog Instructor	Pet Handler
Average salary	$49,458	$31,455
Salary range	Between $33,000 And $72,000	Between $22,000 And $44,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between guide dog instructor and pet handler education

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

	Guide Dog Instructor	Pet Handler
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 66%	High School Diploma, 41%
Most common major	Biology	Psychology
Most common college	-	-

Guide dog instructor vs pet handler demographics

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

	Guide Dog Instructor	Pet Handler
Average age	40	40
Gender ratio	Male, 60.0% Female, 40.0%	Male, 25.0% Female, 75.0%
Race ratio	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%	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 guide dog instructor and pet handler duties and responsibilities

Guide dog instructor example responsibilities.

Manage the canoe landing including guests, workers, and canoe traffic in a way that all run smoothly and safely.
Guide weekend adventure climbing trips.
Assist with kids' camps - teaching about/riding horses.
Instruct customers on canoe and kayak use and safety technique.
Work with dog owners to solve individual pet behavioral problems.
Help customers rent bikes, kayaks and other beach activities at a partner resort.

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.

Guide dog instructor vs pet handler skills

Common guide dog instructor skills

Kids, 63%
Adventure, 11%
CPR, 6%
Kayaks, 5%
Responder, 3%
Canoe, 3%

Common pet handler skills

PET, 100%

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Updated January 8, 2025

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