In his life, your dog is likely to meet various professional on his path.
In the life of your dog, you are likely to meet various professionals.
Each one with his specialty. Each one with his goal. Each one with his motivation.
Some, you'll meet them briefly ; some others, more often.
Get to know them :
The breeder
Breeders' goal is to reproduce one or more breeds. The dogs for adoption are puppies. You can have small mills – with one litter at a time – and large mills – with several litters at the same time.
In the best possible conditions, the breeder is also a selector, which means he watches out for the origins of the dogs he breeds, for their health, for their behavioral problems.
A breeder may be required to introduce you to the parents of your future puppy, or at least the mother, the rest of the litter (if yours is not the last), its living space, its family tree, the tests that has already been carried out. He can also give you some advice and inform you about as to how he has familiarized and socialized the puppies already.
The shelter or foster home
Shelters are structures where you can go (either with or without appointment). The dogs are in kennels and/or in a park. You have profiles of the dogs, which correspond to what the animal officers know about the said dog; often, they are in the dark about parts of its life and the temperament of the dog is biased by the context of life in the shelter.
Some organizations, either in addition to the shelter or operating that way only, place dogs in foster homes. These are volunteers who welcome the dog into their home, temporarily (or permanently when they end up adopting him themselves).
The veterinarian
Your veterinarian is the doctor of your dog's body. He vaccinates him, he treats him. You can consult him at his clinic or in your house. He checks your dog's physical health.
Just like with humans, you have the general veterinarian and the specialist veterinarian, who has in-depth knowledge on an aspect such as dermatology, allergology, nutrition.
Both the general veterinarian (depending on the equipment available) and the specialist can offer you medication, skin treatment, examinations (blood test, MRI, etc.) to confirm or refute a hypothesis about your dog's health.
The veterinarian / behaviorist
The veterinarian / behaviorist is a veterinarian who has specialized in behavior. He consults most of the time in his clinic. Each veterinarian / behaviorist has his own charter to evaluate your dog, to question you about your daily life, to observe specific points of behavior.
He is also the veterinarian who is authorized to evaluate a level of danger in a dog, whether he is categorized or following a "biter" procedure.
The dog trainer / behavior consultant
The trainer is the professional that trains ; the behavior consultant is the one specialized in behaviors. Well...
Actually, it can be complex to separate one from the other, not to have both in the same individual. If the trainer teaches your dog to walk on a leash without pulling, the behavior consultant analyzes your dog's motivation when he pulls to train him from there. If the trainer teaches your dog to meet dogs, the behavior consultant modifies your dog's perception when he sees them so that the chosen behaviors are adapted.
The walker
The walker is a professional that takes your dog on a walk (there's no mystery in the name of the occupation). He picks up your dog and takes him back home. He may walk him on his own or with other dogs (from two to more than ten). He can move on foot or by car. The walk can takes place around your place, just as in another environment (in a forest for instance).
Ideally, the walker adapts your dog's walks to his needs, his physical and social skills so that the experience remains pleasant for him.
Dog boarding / sitter
Whether you need to be away for a few hours or a few days, or even a few weeks, the sitter will look after your dog while you are away. Depending on your needs, and on your dog's abilities and matches, the sitter can take care of your dog at your house or at his. When it is at the sitter's, it can be a house-type place, or a large space with kennels.
The sitter's job is not to train your dog. He offers the equivalent of a playtime or summer camp.
The groomer
If you do not bathe your dog, clean and/or cut his hair, brush him deeply, the groomer is the professional who will make your dog beautiful.
Some breeds's coat do not need to be highly taken care of, while some others need to regularly
The dog club
Dog clubs are very often organizations, managed by volunteers, to which you pay a fee. They can offer you a theme: training your puppy, introducing agility or biting sport for example. Each club has its own way of working; each instructor, their own approach.
It is important to remember that the advice given at the club is to be applied in your own environment. Dogs learn by context; therefore, your dog may not replicate what he has learned there because he will not have learned it elsewhere and therefore will not be able to generalize it.
The pet store
Pet stores are shopping structures. They sell you accessories for walking, for care, for sleep, treats and kibble. You can find tools, no service or personalized advice.
Some companies, which you can find on the web, offer identical services by offering you equipment. Some are artisanal and small-scale; in general, the manufacturing is also artisanal.
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