Dog Trainer

Escaping the 9-to-5 grind only to be brought to heel might not be everyone’s idea of fun but Ashley Underhill likes to take the ruff with the smooth.
He has been working with animals for most of his life and has recently become a dog behaviour therapist and trainer.

Underhill runs dog training business, Bark Busters, and his day can consist of anything from toilet-training to discouraging digging and chewing. He also teaches puppy pre-school classes.

“We help train the owners to train the dog,” he says. “We teach the people step by step the methods and the correct way of getting the message across to the dog that their behaviour is not acceptable.

“It has to be the owner that trains the dog to get the results they want and we tailor all our training to suit individual needs. Quite often we get a massive result with just one session.” Training appointments normally last two to three hours at the pet owner’s home.

“Usually, by the time we have finished one session, the difference in the dog is amazing,” says the 29-year-old. He claims he can teach old dogs new tricks and says age is not a concern when fixing behavioural problems.

“Even [a dog] at 10 years of age it is not an issue.”

Underhill has been working with animals for most of his adult life. He has been a volunteer at Taronga Zoo and the RSPCA and once was responsible for running a large ostrich farm in Queensland.

“Since I was about 10 years of age, I started volunteering at vet clinics on weekends,” he says. He has also worked as a farmhand helping teach the students attending Hurlston Agricultural College. Teaching people about dog behaviour seemed a natural progression for him.

“I have a passion for animals and a passion for helping people and
I needed something that combined the two of them. I am one of the lucky ones who get to do what they love to do,” he says. “You drive a car every day but when it breaks down, you need to find a mechanic to fix it. We are basically the mechanic for the dog; we will come and fix the problem.”

How to be a dog trainer
Skills are usually developed through practical experience such as joining a dog obedience club, working in kennels or for a professional trainer. More information, National Dog Trainers Federation, (03) 97610406,
http://www.ndtf.net.au