Okay, ever since I've gotten into dogs, especially GSD's, I have been looking at photos on the net and looking on the board at all the info that it offers to me. Now, I want to become more involved in the dog world. I want to be a dog trainer more in the lines of obedience, and protection and tracking etc. My breeder takes his dogs to training and I'm going to ask him if he will alow me to go with him some day to see how it is, I'm also going to go get my dog trained with his trainer.
I was wondering if there is a place I could go learn this, like a school or how to become a trainer, is it just something that happens? I need to learn because I'm about to graduate and nothing interest me more than dogs and their love and loyalty they display. It just fascinates me how a dog that is well trained can be the way they are.
If anybody will give me links, advice or know where I could contact somebody in arkansas (northwest area). I'm going to ask the trainer when and if I go.
Thank you for any feedback

well after you read everything here, listen to the podcasts,
you'll have a huge headstart...
then there's always google
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=dog+training+schools&btnG=Google+Search

Thank you so much, yes I already heard all the free podcasts that Leerburg has to offer and I visit the web forum and leerburg site a bunch, even during school although I shouldn't.
Thank you again and yes I have googled abunch also but I'll use your link.

I see you are graduating from high school soon. Planning on going to college? This day and age, people like to see that you've got some letters after your name, even if it's not directly what you are wanting to do. Even if all you love is dogs (which I totally understand!), having a college education will make you a more balanced person and a better verbal and written communicator. Classes in biology, animal science, and psychology will all be helpful when understanding ethology, conditioning and training, behavioral biology, and pack behavior. Read read read! Not only will it make you more informed about canine behavior, but it will make you a better writer (especially important as the internet is becoming vital for people looking up this sort of thing). I haven't had formal English grammar type classes in years and years, but I'm still the "editor" in my research lab because of all the stuff I read. Following along with other trainers is a good way to get hands on experience. I've found that donating my time to the local humane society giving the shelter dogs a crash course in basic obedience (especially the big GSDs, Rotts, Dobes, etc to make them more adoptable) is an excellent and rewarding experience. Good luck!

Yes I do plan on going to college, animal science is some of the things I was looking upon and I already have taken basic biology. I may want to become a vet but I'm a little queezy with the whole surgery thing so maybe not actaully. I'm definetly going to check up on more info since I new to this.
I well check out the Tom Rose school link also.

I thought about going to a trainers school but was lucky that a top trainer has hired me and is teaching me the old fashion way. My advice to you is to start working as kennel help under a high caliber trainer/academy. You'll spend most of your time cleaning dirty kennel runs but eventually you'll start working pet dogs then eventually sport dogs. Work as many dogs as you can. Be professional in whatever setting your in. This will go a long way in your goal to be a trainer. Its a rough business to make a full time occupation ... reputation is everything.

Also, join a schutzhund club. Join a parent organization (USA memberships for youth are $12 until your 21 I believe). If your physically able, show an interest in doing helper work. Good decoys are in demand and while its not a paying gig, it'll get you a reputation and connections with trainers who will turn around and help you out. If you have a dog, start working towards titles. If you don't have a dog, this might be a way to meet someone who you can potentially work for.

Anyways, thats my advice. Work your way up through the ranks. Going the route of a trainer's academy is costly and it'll still take building a reputation and working your way up with an established trainer before you will ever be able to make it on your own.

Also ... get that college degree. Accidents happen in dealing with hard working dogs....you have to anticipate the possibility in the future that you will get chewed up by a dog and not be able to train for a living. While I'm working at an academy, I'm also going to school part time to get a degree in psychology. So try and do both at the same time while you get a feel for training and whether its something you want to do for the rest of your life. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I'm finishing up my masters degree in biology and will be going to vet school in fall of 2007 (I'm taking a year off just working as a behaviorist and teaching a few college classes). I've done hundreds of surgeries on mice, and really, practice makes perfect with that. You do eventually get over it, I promise, but it is part of the learning process. You hear some vets complain that they don't like doing spays and neuters on dogs younger than 6 months because they're smaller? They should try doing 1 inch long newborn mouse pups. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Most vet schools have a ton of prereqs like 2 semesters of inorganic chemistry, 2 semesters of organic chemistry, 2 semesters of physics, and 1 semester of biochemistry, so make sure you're covered. Also look into where Arkansas residents can go for vet school as I don't think they have one of their own (I think you'll have to LSU, Mississippi State, or Missouri). I am very likely going to Missouri's vet school, so I'll have been at Mizzou for a decade, woo...anyways, you can certainly still work with dog training/behavior with a DVM degree just like a human doctor can be a psychiatrist. Maybe most psychiatrists didn't like doing surgery either... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />