Well now, so you wanna know about animal psychology careers, huh? It’s about them critters and their thinkin’, you see. Like, why my old hound dog, Buster, always chases his tail, that sort of thing. It ain’t just cats and dogs neither, it’s all sorts of animals – cows, chickens, even them fancy zoo animals.
What is this animal psychology thing anyway?
It’s like this, them smart folks, they study how animals act, what goes on in their heads. Kinda like shrinkin’ for animals, I guess. They try to figure out why animals do what they do, if they’re sad, or happy, or scared. They look after animal’s mental health too, imagine that!
So, what kind of jobs can you get?
Well, there’s a whole bunch of things you can do if you’re into this animal psychology stuff.
- Animal trainer: You could teach them dogs new tricks, or help horses behave better. It’s all about understandin’ how they learn and what makes them tick.
- Animal care director: This is for someone who wants to look after a bunch of animals, like at a shelter or somethin’. You make sure they’re fed, healthy, and happy.
- Animal research technician: Now, this is for folks who like doin’ science stuff. You help the animal psychologists do their studies, takin’ notes and lookin’ after the animals in the lab.
- Animal services associate: These folks help animals that are lost or in trouble. They might work at the animal shelter or even go out and rescue animals.
- Veterinary assistant: You help the vet take care of sick animals. You might give them medicine, hold them still during checkups, or just keep them comfy.
- Pet psychologist: Some folks, they bring their pets to a pet psychologist to help them with problems like anxiety or aggression. You talk to the owners and help them understand their pets better. Most of ‘em set up their own lil’ shop, ya know, like a private practice.
How do you get a job in animal psychology?
First off, you gotta love animals. Can’t be scared of a little slobber or a peck from a chicken. Then, you gotta go to school, learn all about animals and their behavior. You might need to go to college for a long time, get one of them fancy degrees. And get this, try and spend some time with the critters while you’re in school. Go work at a farm, or a zoo, or even just volunteer at the local shelter. That way, you’ll know if you even like it! It ain’t all cuddles and kisses, mind you. Sometimes it’s dirty work, and sometimes it’s sad work.
And if you are good at thinkin’ and figuring things out, that’s a big help too. You gotta be patient, ’cause animals, they don’t talk like us. You gotta watch ‘em, see what they do, and try to understand what they’re thinkin’. Lots of different places need people who know about animal psychology. You could work at a university, doing research, teachin’ students. Or you could work for the government, helping to protect animals. Or you could work for a private company, training animals or helping them with their behavior.
Other stuff you can do with animal psychology
You could work in animal research, lookin’ at how animals behave and think. Or maybe wildlife conservation is your thing, helping protect animals in the wild. Some folks go work for animal welfare groups, making sure animals are treated right. And some go work with vets, helpin’ animals feel better after surgery or sickness. You could even train animals for movies or shows, or help them recover from injuries. Zoos and aquariums need people who understand animal psychology too. Heck, you could even become an animal advocate, speaking up for animals that can’t speak for themselves or you could teach people about animals and their behavior, or help make laws that protect animals or you could be those people who look after animals in laboratories. Then there’s those masters degrees you can get – they teach you all about how different animals think.
So, if you’re good with animals and like to figure things out, maybe a career in animal psychology is just the ticket for you. It ain’t easy, but it sure is rewarding. Just thinkin’ about helpin’ them critters makes my heart feel all warm and fuzzy.
Tags: Animal Psychologist, Animal Psychology, Psychology and Animals, Animal Behavior, Animal Careers
