I haven't posted much on Champdogs, but I lurk here quite often and figure it's an ideal place to direct my query.
A little bit of background information: I'm currently studying my A-levels, and I'm meant to be going to Sheffield Uni in September to study for a Biology degree. However, as that time nears, it's beginning to hit me that a biology degree might not be what I want to do!
Instead, I'm considering a course such as the Applied Animal Behaviour and Training degree they do at Bishop Burton college (not sure if I'm allowed to post the link). I have one huge doubt about something like that however, and that is whether I could make a living from it after. Obviously animal behaviour and training is something where practical experience speaks volumes as much as academic qualifictions, so I know to take that into consideration. I know there are some people on here who have an animal related careers (such as groomers), and wondered if there others who had considered doing this sort of thing and then decided for or against it?
As someone whose always managed good grades at school I feel I might be going to Sheffield uni to do Biology as I feel it's something I should do, rather than what I want to do. It perhaps comes down to whether I want a job which isn't my life ambition but earns me enough so that I can afford to do what I want in my free-time, or whether I do something that I'm passionate about but doesn't earn as much/allow me as much free time.
I'm finding it very hard to chose the direction my entire life will take at this one moment! I'm not after others making my decision for me as only I know what's best for me (blah blah blah), but hopefully there are others out there that can offer their experiences?

Thanks,
Karen.

i was in exactly same position as you- was going to do biology or zoology at uni, but only because that was what was expected of me, i turned against that idea and did a btec nd in animal health & welfare- management, which was half theory and half practical hands on- experience that cannot be replaced by ANY exam!
its whether you want a degree or relevent animal experience.

if you want to work with animals you must realise its rubbish pay and long hours, unless you become a qualified dog behaviour councellor- and do one on one sessions every day for a living, then its probably better!

i sometimes feel as though i should have done a degree- but then i wouldnt have attended the best course ever and handled some of the most amazing animals! which is invaluable and now im in demand from local animal centres, but im actually turning them down due to the awful hours!

I did the same course as you chrisjack, I was going to go to Uni to study animal ethology but decided I wanted to earn a living instead.  I chose money over what I really wanted to do, which was become an RSPCA inspector or a animal behaviourist, I decided to keep animals as my hobby.  I earn a decent wage and have my own house but I dont really enjoy my job as much as I would have an animal job, the only respite I get from the office is spending time with my dogs.

Have you thought about working for one of the big animal charities ? - if you go in at management level the pay's not bad and  it's certainly very interesting and varied work!.

Yvonne

Daughter's thinking of doing something like that - she does a lot of RAG fundraising at uni and loves animals, so it could be ideal :)

My feelings with higher education is to study something that you are going to enjoy studying, rather than do something just as a means to an end :)

Daisy

yeh claire- ive chose to work in an office- so i can be healthy and gain weight, and so far its worked out for me,. from working as vet nurse ive realised im good at admin and people skills! funny how things work out!
once ive 'got better' im going for head of animal section at a large animal collection nearby, and because ive got the experience and qualifications - i can ask for better hours and pay- hopefully!!!

what do you do now and how do you feel about not wrking with animals? soz about all the q's!

I have worked in pensions for the past 6 years, I am also a qualified financial adviser although never worked as one.  Im now training as an initial underwriter, the work is much more interesting and the biology side of my animal care course has helped with the exams I am doing.  I do regret not working with animals, and if I had my time again I would not be working in an office thats for sure !!

Do you have a particular qualification in mind when you mention a "qualified dog behaviour councellor", as I was under the impression there was no one specified route into it?

(That was meant in reply to chrisjack)

no- i meant it as a job title, sorry!

Have Pmd you

I didn't have your academic qualifications but I started my working life as a Veterinary Nurse, earning about half what my fellow grammar school friends were earning and working twice as many hours! 

Having had a varied career, I retrained in my mid 30s as a dog groomer, and to be honest, with my own parlour, it's the only that I found to make a good income with flexibilty working with animals.  I was friendly with a well know and well regarded behaviourist who did a lot of one to one work as well as training classes in the daytime and evenings, weekend seminars etc, but her annual income was not as good as my grooming parlour!

hey, i am in my gap year about to go to uni in september to study animal behaviour and welfare at chester. it is half practicle and half theory. i too looked at bishop burton college and loved the course but chester had more of an atmosphere to it. i would say go with your heart and there is always going to be someone somewhere who will need a dog behaviourist/trainer. also if you do go into the behaviour side of it, just beware that it is so competetive at the moment so experience is the key. a degree will not make you an animal behaviourist but it gives you a head start.
good luck with what ever you choose. i know that i wouldn't have been happy studdying biology but that is me.
also you have the pressure that i didn't (my grades were never good as i get panick attacks in exams!!!) so don't feel swayed by it as you may just regret it later on.
also i wouldn't worry about the money aspect as a degree doesn't dictate your life, and if you are passionate about something you are more likely to strive at it, rather than just do it cos you have to.
hope this helps
anna

Ah to be in your position again. If I went backwards in time with my 20:20 hinesight I would do a degree and get those qualifications. Preferably in subject that would help me achieve my passion. It is so hard to go back to Uni once you get a mortgage and 'grown up' life. Then I would pursue my dream job. If you're lucky you make a decent living from your passion. Thing is, 20 years from now you may want to completely change your career. Getting that degree keeps future paths open to you. It doesn't even have to be in a related subject. I went to university for 5 years and quit with 4 classes to go. Biggest mistake I EVER made in my life. I'm a marketing manager now and make good money but still feel that some avenues, such as being the MD or CEO to larger corporations, are closed to me. My dream was to work at the San Diego Zoo/Wild Animal Park or Sea World. I didn't follow that either; I let practical people talk me out of it. Three/four years sounds like forever now but compared to the 40+ years you will work it's nothing. Good luck in whatever you want to achieve.

Lori its never too late to return to learning, I've just turned 30 and have one exam to go before finishing my degree (yayyyy) I did it all part time over 6 years (studying 5) usually working at least part time and bringing up a 3 and 6 year old. The thing is it does seem like a long time to get the qualifications, when I started thinking about finishing in 5 years it seemed like an age but the thing with time is that it never stops and unfortunatley or fortunatley that 5 years has flown by.

I know Izzy bear, I've thought about it but since I went to university in 1980-85 I would have to start over again and I just can't stomach that idea. I already work 50 or so hours a week so it would have to be distance learning or night school. Not many good universities offer that kind of degree and I can't afford to give up the money that pays the mortgage. Besides, I hated school starting from the age of 5 which is why I quit with so little to go. (I blame the moneissori kindergarten and MGM programs that pushed me too hard ;-)) If I was still living in San Diego I would try to talk my old school into letting me finish off but I think now I'll just open my own business if I can figure out what it will be. :-D

Good for you though. You will be so pleased you stuck with it!

50 hours a week can totally understand why you wouldn't want to do it especially having to start from the beginning again that just doesn't seem right. Have thought about starting my own business but a business in what I wouldn't have a clue. The main motivation for starting my own business is so I can take the dogs to work with me, work being the spare bedroom that we loosely term the office :)

Mine too but so far no one has offered to pay me money to take my dog to the dene and the beach :-D

I finished my four years at university last year and amy now happy in my line of work....for the moment. The degree I did was Veterinary Nursing Science at UWE but the practical experience needed for the end job was gained by running an NVQ hand in hand with the degree - hard work I tell you -so theoretically by the time you start the final year you are qualified as a Vet Nurse. I say theoretically because you have a tight time schedule to get the nvq done. Once you finish your first year at uni you have 15 weeks to complete the portfolio for level 2 (in normal circumstances you have about a year) before starting your 2nd yr at uni. You then take the exams in dec (hopefully pass) finish uni in june spend 55 wks in practice doing level 3 of portfolio, take that exam the following summer (again pass/qualify) then go back to uni to specialise in chosen areas. Was it worth it? - yes. Other than the obvious vet nursing that pays rubbish wages..the degree allows you to go into other fields such as animal nutrition, various types of research, pharmaceuticals, business management, ....list is long.

Good Luck in finding your career path :)

Sue

Wow, great to hear all these different views. At least when I make a decision it will be a more informed one now. Will perhaps have to look more into grooming as well - am I right in thinking that a City & Guilds qualificaition if the one to have in that field of work?
To me the trainers at Sea World have THE best job in the world. Going again this summer for something like the 8th time to watch in envy :D

Hi Brak3n!
(dont think you werent spotted on the quiz! wondered who you were!! :P :D)
Nice to finally meet you,welcome! :D

Hi
I dont post often but I too was in the same position. in the end i chose to do the animal science degree at writtle college but worried the whole time about what i would do afterwards. luckily i fell into a fantastic job as a canine hydrotherapist. most of my friends  found good jobs too. one is lecturing in animal care, one is working at the animal reception centre at heathrow. a couple have gone on to become veterinary nurses and one managed to get a place a vet school and is now 3 years into that!! We were lucky to all find jobs at the higher end of the low wage bracket but there were also many people on the course who couldnt find an animal related job that paid enough.

I have been in exactly the same position and so instead of limiting myself to behaviour and training i chose to do a degree in animal management and welfare at Lincoln uni (just sitting final exams at the mo finish in a few weeks time) as the course was very varied and has left me open to follow whichever path in the animal field i want to as at the time of choosing and even now im not sure exactly where im going.

I always thought i wanted to train assistance dogs but finding this field very hard to get into even with a degree and various YKC activities etc they still want people with 2-5years experience in a related field (how you get the experience when nobody will give you a chance is a totally different matter i wont get in to!!)

So from this at the moment i have totally changed my ideas from when i started and am even applying for jobs abroad to work with sled dogs and even as a field studies tutor teaching children about ecology.

I would just saw pick something that will leave the doors open at the end of it as your ideas now will be very different to ideas you have in 3 years time.  Just make sure you like the campus etc before you limit yourself.

Hey, I was meant to be going to uni last sept to do a biology degree, but decided against it last minute.
I work fulltime in a boarding kennel and realised that I would never be happy in a job that didn't involve animals.
I'm going to college this year to do a BTEC in animal management then possible go on to uni to do an animal behaviour degree.

If your anything like me you'll be much happier on a smaller wage but doing something you love!

If it's dogs specifically, just to give you something to mull over, Bishop Burton are running a Canine Behaviour and Training foundation degree - I'm doing it myself, and it is absolutely first rate.  It does involve travel - I'm distance learning but I'm required to go in for two study weeks and two study weekends each year for practical help and assessments.  The tutors are second to none, they really know their stuff!

While the topic is up does anyone work for guide dogs for the blind? As i have applied a few years running and have had no luck. As i am a lady of leisure does anyone know of any courses that may help?

What is it you want to do? Puppy walking, kennel work, admin? There are many aspects to their work that a course that would help with one wouldn't necessarily be any good for another.

I have been in contact with the guide dogs, but they were not recruiting, it was guide dog trainer i was looking into. I have recieved all the info and applied two years running as it's something i would love to do. Any more info i would be grateful. My husband meets people all the time, and met a lady who works in this kind of job, in our area, and said they were looking for people, she also said to pop round again, so i think i may. Is there any course  i could do while i am not working?