Unusual Pet Careers – Pet Nutritionalist

Amid the latest pet food recalls and recent FDA investigations into pet foods distributed in the US that have been contaminated with melamine, many owners are now considering making their own pet foods instead of relying on the quality of store purchased products.

Many online articles have recommended that owners seek the advice of a pet nutritionalist before changing their pets diet as they must ensure that home prepared foods contain the full range of nutrients required to maintain their pets long term health. Healthy dogs require 38 different nutrients in their daily diet and a healthy cat requires 40.

There are only a handful of pet nutritionalists wordwide - you can find them listed at the American College of Veterinary Nutrition website. The small numer of qualified nutritionalists means that this is a pet care profession that is in high demand. As the interest amongst owners to protect their pets health grows many new pet nutritionalists will be needed to meet consumer demand.

Pet nutritionalists evaluate the pets age, breed, activity level, and exisiting medical conditions to determine the correct daily energy and nutrient intake that is required in their daily diet. They then recommend a mix of foods and supplements to meet these needs.

If you are interested in getting a nutritionalist to evaluate your pets dietary needs you can visit PetDiets.com to receiveÂ a written evaluation. They also have some great information on pet nutrition at their site.

A full overview of the requirements and duties of a pet nutritionalist are outlined in an Occupational Profile put together by Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Service in the UK.

Owning a pet business does not guarantee you success, but it is generally not difficult to set up your own pet business adn many who own pet businesses love the hard working lifestyle and the closeness to pets. You will have to compete with those who may be better trained, may have lower cost structures and those who “pretend” to have your skills and experience when they do not. (eg not all those who advertise themselves as groomers are actually Groomers).

There are also key skills that all dog industry professionals should possess. Here are some of the most critical skills and abilities for those hoping to work with dogs professionally: Basic Dog Handling and Training Skills, ability to recognize behavioral signals.

Animals can be somewhat unpredictable when they are under stress or in an unfamiliar environment, like when they visit the veterinary office or the grooming salon, so it is important to be attentive and stay aware of the animal you are handling at all times.