Also called: K9 Trainer, Scent Dog Handler
Trains dogs to sniff out bombs, drugs, bedbugs, missing people or even diseases.
She hides small scent samples around a warehouse and runs dogs through searches, rewarding each find with a toy. Later she does a bedbug inspection at a hotel with her dog.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
High school diploma, about 2 years after high school. Training-school programs and apprenticeship; many come from military or police K9 work.
Ways in: On-the-job training, Military, Certification. Training cost: Get paid while you train.
Majors to look at: Animal Science, Criminal Justice.
Growing faster than average.
Low risk for 10 years. Electronic sniffers help, but trained dogs still outperform them in the field; handling stays hands-on.
Classes: Animal science (FFA/Ag CTE), Biology, Psychology.
Official data: O*NET occupation 39-2011.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.