Curse of the Dog Trainer

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| Print | By | October 26, 2007 12:04 PM

How many of you with complicated jobs have to “dumb down” what you do for a living when someone asks about your career?

“I’m in computers.”
“I’m a consultant.”
“I work for the government.”

I don’t have that problem. When the inevitable career question comes up at a social event and I answer, “I’m a dog trainer,” eyes light up and the inquisition begins. And if you look closely at me, you’ll see my shoulders slump ever so slightly.

You see, I love my career, and I feel incredibly fortunate to be able to make a living working with dogs, but there are times (when you see me holding a cocktail, for example), when I just don’t feel like talking about dogs.

There. I said it.

I suppose the assumption is that because my job doesn’t really seem like a job, it’s cool to ask for advice about your dog’s potty training challenges, at length, during a party. I can’t tell you how often I’ve gone to a social event and been cornered by a dog owner looking to get an immediate solution for her dog’s complicated leash aggression issue, when all I want to do is relax and have a pomegranate martini.

The core issue is that even though I adore working with dogs, the fact is, it’s my work. And when the 5:00 whistle blows, I don’t feel like talking about dog training.

It doesn’t matter the venue, once my line of work comes up, the stories and questions begin. The checker at the grocery store spies my logo shirt, stops checking my stuff and starts quizzing me about how to curb his dog’s household destruction, to the chagrin of all of the people in line behind me. A distant cousin sits beside me during Thanksgiving dinner and essentially holds me captive for the entire meal, quizzing me about the efficacy of Prozac for her dog. My gynecologist finishes my annual exam and then goes on to tell me a 15-minute story about her dog while I sit shivering in a paper gown, and the crowd of patients in her waiting room grows.

Nine times out of ten, my career is the most unusual one at any party, so it’s natural that people have questions about it. But in a perfect world I wouldn’t be formulating a training plan for your dog’s specific behavior problems during the Labor Day barbeque. Want to hear about how I left my high-paying sales job and became a dog trainer? Glad to share. Want me to tell you about the worst human client I’ve ever worked with? Oh, what a story!

Want me to help Fido to stop jumping on your houseguests? Call me during business hours and I’m yours.

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