DHD,
What a great idea!
(Caveat: I am not a trainer, not by a long shot. I'm something of an amateur student of canine behavior, a 'hobby practitioner' experimenting with my own herd of messed-up mutts, and an avid consumer of training services. I've had some success within my comfort zone working of with certain types of canine ASBO hounds, but I am well aware of my limitations - so I could never be a professional trainer. Take what I say from the client's perspective. )
As you probably already know, it takes a lot more than being 'good with dogs' to become a professional dog trainer, and here in Switzerland there are (as always) additional bureaucratic hurdles to clear.
A good trainer first and foremost has an innate love of dogs: all dogs, no matter what the issues the dog brings to the table. A good trainer understands the very great responsibility he/she undertakes**, understands the consequences of making mistakes. A good trainer has a solid background in canine behavioral science, has both theoretical and successful hands-on experience with dogs presenting diverse training and rehabilitation challenges, has developed a coherent training philosophy, is well-read in all the prevailing theories of dog training - including those to which he/she may not subscribe - is in possession of a well-stocked and continuously updated training 'toolbox', pursues continuing education throughout his/her career, has an understanding of canine physiology and basic medical care, has a solid understanding of canine genetics, has a solid understanding of the various breeds, especially where instinct, character and health issues impact behavior, has proven success at managing 'pack dynamics' when dealing with multiple dogs, has an in-depth understanding of local and national dog law, and... is very, very good at managing people. This last is something that is easy to overlook - but bottom line, you are working with the owner more than with the dog.
A trainer does not train a dog - no, a good trainer trains the owner to train the dog.
RobertL and Edot have pointed out, there are two things to consider: qualifications towards teaching the SKN, and defining your approach based on your overall training philosophy, general qualifications, experience, and skill. You will need to establish legitimacy and creditability in order to win clients.
Setting up a dog training business requires additional planning. You need to understand the various possible Swiss business structures, understand taxes, liability insurances, etc. And of course the hardest thing: finding a place to run your business. (My trainer has horror stories about the permit process she had to go through to get permission to set up her training ground.)
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First the SKN. As I'm sure you know, these are mandatory courses all dog owners must take. In order to teach these courses to the public you must first train with and be qualified by one of the institutions certified by the BVet - no one else may teach the SKN 'Ausbildner' courses to would-be instructors.
And to be frank: unless you are a certified SKN instructor, you might not be seen as credible in Switzerland, even if you are targeting a different market. Simple fact - while the SKN is only a drop in the bucket, while there is plenty of scope for other training expertise, anyone claiming to be a trainer but not certified to teach the SKN may be seen as somewhat suspect in the public mind. Holding SKN qualification is becoming expected, goes a long way to establishing legitimacy in Switzerland.
So information on becoming a certified SKN instructor can be found here:
http://www.bvet.admin.ch/tsp/02222/0...x.html?lang=de
As RobertL points out, you must be proficient in German.
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Now let's talk about 'real' training, work beyond the SKN.
First what qualifications do you already bring to the table? Do you have any degrees/certifications, further education from your home country? If so, find out how that would translate to Swiss experience. Even if you intend to target your business to expats you will likely need Swiss qualifications or coursework, as most expats look to their trainers to help them understand the Swiss system, Swiss mores and expectations, and to advocate for them should the need arise.
Second, have you defined/refined your own training philosophy? This will be important, as many clients will come to you with their own ideas, often looking for a trainer who shares similar basic values. I don't expect a trainer to slavishly follow one school of thought, but I do look for someone who has a broad base of knowledge, is conversant in various theories, can suit the solution to the problem at hand using the best approach for the individual. One thing I absolutely insist on is: positive training using operant conditioning - no adversives, no 'dominance' school. Clearly stating your approach is key to successful marketing - and to a successful relationship with your clients.
Take a look at other trainers' websites - most list their CVs. This could give you a good idea of the types of courses you might need. International experience is highly prized, as most of the recognized behavioral experts are from outside Switzerland (Turid Rugaas, Clarissa von Reinhardt, Ian Dunbar, Jean Donaldson, Patricial McConnell, to name but a few.) Attending seminars and courses outside Switzerland is also a very good idea. A training institute I respect is Animal Learn in Germany: www.animal-learn.de My trainer is certified through Certodog www.certodog.ch , and continuously takes further education classes with various training institutions and experts. Several of my UK colleagues have or are doing degree courses (some distance) through various institutions - here is a discussion on another forum you might find of interest : http://www.dogpages.org.uk/forums/in...owtopic=138149 And, of course, do follow the link that Edot gave. Credentials are important, especially in Switzerland.
You might start by informally attending seminars and workshops - make sure that this is something you really want to do before investing. As you might expect, Swiss courses will be expensive.
I would also recommend speaking with trainers you know and admire - ask if you can observe classes, ask for their advice as to coursework, ask if you can do an 'apprenticeship'. My trainer has had several assistants helping with her classes, folks who are still doing their Ausbildung.
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Ask yourself what kind of classes you want to offer: Welpenspielstunde? Basic Obedience? Familienhunde? Dog sports like agility, flyball, Treibball, Mobility, RallyO, CaniX, Longieren, Manwork, Schutzhund, etc? All of the above? Do you want to work one-to-one with clients? Do you want to work with a group? Do you want to do behavioral work - that is, working with 'problem dogs'? Each approach requires it's own expertise and you might need to vary your business model to suit.
I've been attending a Hundeschule for almost 6 years now. I started with Hooligan, intending to just do a basic course. Well, it soon became apparent that she had some serious 'ishoos', so the trainer and I worked out a rehab program involving 1-1 sessions, theme-specific classes, and Familienhunde to work on her behavior and socialization. All these years on, we are still doing Familiienhunde, and will as long as we live here. Along the way, I added three more dogs and agility, flyball, team training, scentwork, longieren, and Triebbball, classes for senior and handicapped dogs, the SKN, and a skill-specific classes. Many of our classmates have similarly been involved for years. So - a 'one-off' client can turn into a long-term relationship if you can offer a variety of classes and services.
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To start, read this very important book:
In Defence Of Dogs, by John Bradshaw.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Defence-Dogs...3182234&sr=1-1
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** In Switzerland, an SKN certified dog trainer may also be considered a mandatory reporter.
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Lastly, may I ask - if you decide to pursue this, would you mind posting your experiences as you work towards qualifications? I'd be very interested in learning more about the Swiss Ausbildung system.
Wishing you all the very best.