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Specialist professionals not classified elsewhere

How to become a Dog Trainer

Gives dogs specialist training that makes use of their nature and abilities such as their sense of smell, and also trains family pets in good behaviour.

Workers in this job say vocational college (senmon gakko) or high school is common. From job tag's survey of people in each job, who could give several answers. It shows what workers see as common, not how many workers hold each level.

How to become one

To become a dog trainer you must pass a set exam run by the Japan Police Dog Association, the Japan Kennel Club, the Nippon Shepherd Dog Registration Association, the Japan Guide Dog Association or the Japan Hearing Dog Association and gain the trainer qualification. You first join a training centre as an apprentice to learn the skills, and after qualifying you work at the centre as a trainer. Some later set up their own business. Guide dog trainers must train at a training facility designated by the National Public Safety Commission and be hired by a guide dog training facility. Hearing dog and assistance dog trainers must train at a designated training facility and be hired by a hearing dog or assistance dog training facility. Liking dogs is not enough. You need the skill and patience to get dogs to do what you ask, a sense of responsibility for the dogs in your care, and reasonable fitness.

Ways in

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Questions people ask

How do I become a Dog Trainer?

To become a dog trainer you must pass a set exam run by the Japan Police Dog Association, the Japan Kennel Club, the Nippon Shepherd Dog Registration Association, the Japan Guide Dog Association or the Japan Hearing Dog Association and gain the trainer qualification. You first join a training centre as an apprentice to learn the skills, and after qualifying you work at the centre as a trainer. Some later set up their own business. Guide dog trainers must train at a training facility designated by the National Public Safety Commission and be hired by a guide dog training facility. Hearing dog and assistance dog trainers must train at a designated training facility and be hired by a hearing dog or assistance dog training facility. Liking dogs is not enough. You need the skill and patience to get dogs to do what you ask, a sense of responsibility for the dogs in your care, and reasonable fitness.

How much does a Dog Trainer earn in Japan?

Average annual income in the private sector, bonus included, is ¥5,833,100 (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare). The figure is for the wage survey group Specialist professionals not classified elsewhere, which covers several jobs.

Do you need a degree to become a Dog Trainer?

Usually. In this job's census occupation group, 67% of workers are university graduates.

Will AI change the work of a Dog Trainer?

Generative AI can do relatively little of this work, by the ILO's global estimate.

Sources

独立行政法人労働政策研究・研修機構（JILPT）作成 職業情報データベース 解説系ダウンロードデータ（IPD_DL_description_7_01.xlsx）ver.7.01 職業情報提供サイト（job tag）より2026年10月4日にダウンロード（https://shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/download）を加工して作成

独立行政法人労働政策研究・研修機構（JILPT）作成 職業情報データベース 簡易版数値系ダウンロードデータ（IPD_DL_numeric_7_00.xlsx）ver.7.00 職業情報提供サイト（job tag）より2026年10月4日にダウンロード（https://shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/download）を加工して作成

Sources: JILPT Occupational Information Database download data via job tag (解説系 ver.7.01 and 簡易版数値系 ver.7.00, downloaded 4 October 2026), processed by Peernovo; MHLW, Basic Survey on Wage Structure 2025; Statistics Bureau of Japan, 2020 Population Census; MEXT, School Basic Survey 2025; MHLW, Employment Referrals for General Workers (Hello Work statistics). Figures processed by Peernovo. English job names, translations and the matching of jobs to statistical groups, schools and degree fields by Peernovo.

Updated 4 October 2026