A Transnational Snapshot of Burnout in Professional Dog Trainers.

Abstract

The effects of burnout have been documented in professionals who work in the animal field, including the veterinary and animal welfare sectors, but not in professional dog trainers. This study aims to investigate burnout in professional dog trainers as part of a global call out in New Zealand, Canada, USA and UK. The data was collected via an anonymous online survey disseminated to various social media groups and international dog associations for sharing to their networks. Responses from 407 dog trainers were analysed. Of them, 91% of participants were female and there was an even spread across age groups of respondents 28 - 59+ years old, and 62% resided in the United States of America. The Copenhagen Burnout Inventory was used to assess the level of personal, work-related and client-related burnout experienced by dog trainers. The results showed that 0.25% of participants reported no/low personal burnout, 49% moderate, 24% high, and 1% severe. Work-related burnout had 46% of participants reporting no/low burnout, 42% moderate, 11% high, and 1% severe. Out of the participants, 53% reported no/low burnout, 36% moderate, 9% high and 2% as severe when asked about client-related burnout. In conclusion, dog trainers are suffering burnout with participants reporting a merging of personal and work- related burnout. This research has highlighted the need for the development of targeted measurement tools and services for professional dog trainers is necessary to mitigate the effects of burnout in this industry.