The ability to train dogs is another skill that you can turn into a lucrative side hustle. Training is especially important if a dog is going to be around children, other dogs, or is expected to behave in a controlled manner around the community. However, dog training is very difficult at times. That explains why typical fees for a personal dog trainer range from $30 to $100 an hour. The highest rates are usually reserved for dogs that are difficult to work with, or trainers who are at the top of the field. Even though the majority of dog owners forego official training, you don’t need a large amount of clients to create a good income stream for yourself.
Dog training is usually not accomplished within one session, and using at least six sessions to train a dog is recommended. That’s good news, because you could make anywhere from $300 to $700 per dog you train. As a trainer, you can choose what area you’d like to specialize in. You can even specialize in training puppies! How fun would that be? Puppy training usually revolves around getting the puppies to stop chewing everything, digging in the dirt, and barking too much. It also helps them learn basic doggy social skills. We included this in our Side Hustle Master List for the high rate of pay and flexible schedule (and dogs).
Concept | |
category | Pet Businesses |
Takeaways | Requires specific skill set; experience with training dogs is a pre-requisite |
complexity lowhigh  | Capital Required lowhigh |
skill required lowhigh | time required lowhigh |
return potential lowhigh |
 | learn more |
It’s all about credibility
Your confidence to work with dogs needs to be high. It’s good to remember that each training situation you enter is a new environment with a new dog, and anything can happen. If you haven’t had experience training dogs before, it’s a good idea to get a dog and train it. The American Kennel Club has what is called a Canine Good Citizen program, and if you are able to train your dog to pass the final test, you can move on to higher level training courses. Building credibility is what being a dog trainer is all about. For more information, check out the links below.