Animal Trainers

What the job really is

Train animals for riding, harness, security, performance, or obedience, or for assisting persons with disabilities. Accustom animals to human voice and contact, and condition animals to respond to commands. Train animals according to prescribed standards for show or competition. May train animals to carry pack loads or work as part of pack team.

At a glance

• Sector: Personal Care & Service
• O*NET-SOC code: 39-2011
• O*NET job zone: 2 — some preparation
• Work sample tasks on file: 12
• Tools and technologies listed: 12

What you actually do

Work sample tasks recorded for this occupation:

• Cue or signal animals during performances.
• Talk to or interact with animals to familiarize them to human voices or contact.
• Conduct training programs to develop or maintain desired animal behaviors for competition, entertainment, obedience, security, riding, or related purposes.
• Feed or exercise animals or provide other general care, such as cleaning or maintaining holding or performance areas.
• Observe animals' physical conditions to detect illness or unhealthy conditions requiring medical care.
• Evaluate animals to determine their temperaments, abilities, or aptitude for training.
• Administer prescribed medications to animals.
• Keep records documenting animal health, diet, or behavior.
• Evaluate animals for trainability and ability to perform.
• Advise animal owners regarding the purchase of specific animals.
• Train horses or other equines for riding, harness, show, racing, or other work, using knowledge of breed characteristics, training methods, performance standards, and the peculiarities of each animal.
• Use oral, spur, rein, or hand commands to condition horses to carry riders or to pull horse-drawn equipment.

Tools and technology

Atlassian JIRA, Epic Systems, Facebook, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Project, Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Word, Oracle Database, Oracle PeopleSoft

What employers expect you to already be comfortable with.

Where this job leads

Related occupations — the usual moves up and sideways:

• Animal Caretakers
• Animal Breeders
• Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers
• Animal Control Workers
• Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals
• Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors
• Veterinary Technologists and Technicians
• Athletes and Sports Competitors

Getting in

O*NET assigns this occupation job zone 2 (some preparation). The related occupations above are the realistic routes in and out.

Find openings

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Check this against the source

O*NET OnLine: Animal Trainers — the authoritative public-domain profile this page is derived from, including the full task list, reported skills and the wage estimates for your region.

Derived and rewritten from the public-domain O*NET database (U.S. Department of Labor / Employment and Training Administration). Figures are observations, not promises — always confirm salary, licensing and visa requirements with the employer and the relevant authority.