Write for Us: Contributor Opportunities
No salaried vacancies — but we do read every pitch
Let us be straight with you, because you have probably landed here from a job search. German Shepherd Place is a small independent site, not a company, and we have no employees and no salaried roles. What we do have is an open door for people who genuinely know this breed and can write about it honestly. If that is you, here is what we are looking for.
Plenty of sites run “careers” pages that imply opportunities that do not exist, mostly to collect email addresses or sell courses. We would rather tell you the position accurately and let you decide whether it is worth your time. If you were hoping for a full-time job in dog care, the last section points at places that genuinely hire.
Who We Are Looking For
Expertise matters more than writing credentials here. We would far rather work with a knowledgeable person who writes plainly than a polished writer with no first-hand knowledge.
🩺 Veterinary professionals
Vets, veterinary nurses and technicians, physiotherapists and hydrotherapists. Particularly welcome for reviewing existing health content as well as writing new material.
🎓 Accredited trainers and behaviourists
Certified by a recognised body — ACVB, IAABC, CCPDT, ABTC or equivalent. We are reward-based and evidence-led, and we ask contributors to be as well.
🐕 Long-standing breed people
Breeders who health test, rescue coordinators, working handlers, groomers who deal with double coats daily. Decades of doing something is its own qualification.
🏠 Owners with a specific story
Living with EPI, degenerative myelopathy, a reactive dog, a deaf or blind Shepherd. Lived experience, clearly framed as such, is genuinely valuable.
Topics We Need Most
Gaps we would particularly like filled, roughly in order of usefulness to readers:
- Living with a diagnosed condition — EPI, DM, hip dysplasia post-surgery, epilepsy. Practical day-to-day management from someone doing it.
- Veterinary review of existing guides. We would welcome qualified eyes over what is already published, with corrections.
- Working and sport disciplines — scentwork, herding, canicross, rally, tracking. Written for beginners.
- Assistance and service dog work — realistic accounts of what it involves.
- Non-US and non-UK perspectives — regional differences in law, climate, breeding practice and veterinary access.
- Senior and end-of-life care — handled with the seriousness it deserves.
The Standards You Would Be Writing To
| What | The standard here |
|---|---|
| Length | Long enough to answer the question properly. Most guides run 3,000+ words |
| Reading level | Plain, conversational English. Explain jargon the first time it appears |
| Structure | Answer first, then detail. Headings, tables, and a clear takeaway |
| Evidence | Say what is established, what is contested, and what is your opinion — and keep them visibly separate |
| Training stance | Reward-based and LIMA. We do not publish dominance-based or punishment-based methods |
| Medical stance | We never diagnose or treat. Every health piece points readers to their vet |
| Honesty | If a popular product or method does not work, we say so. See our editorial standards |
What We Will Not Publish
- Guest posts written to place a link. If the point of the pitch is the backlink, we are not the right site.
- Undisclosed sponsored content of any kind. Anything paid for is labelled, clearly, every time.
- Unedited AI-generated copy. Tools are fine as an aid; submitting generated text as your own expertise is not.
- Protection, bite-work or aggression training instruction. A long-standing site policy — see our training disclaimer.
- Aversive methods — shock, prong and choke collars, alpha rolls, flooding.
- Anything previously published elsewhere, including on your own site.
- Medical claims that bypass veterinary care, or cures for conditions that do not have one.
Credit, Payment and Rights
This is a small independent site. We are not in a position to advertise standard rates, and you should not invest significant time on a full draft before we have discussed terms. Pitch first, agree terms second, write third — in that order, always. Anyone who asks you to write a full article on spec before discussing what you get for it is not treating you well, and that includes us if we ever do it.
- Credit. Contributors get a byline and a short bio with one link to your own site or professional profile.
- Payment. Discussed case by case at the pitch stage, before any writing happens. If we cannot offer what your time is worth, we will tell you rather than waste it.
- Editing. We edit for house style, structure and clarity, and you see the edit before it publishes.
- Rights. You keep the right to be identified as the author. We ask not to have the same piece published elsewhere.
- Corrections. If something is wrong we correct it and note the change, whoever wrote it.
How to Pitch
Short version: email [email protected] with a one-paragraph idea and a line on why you are the person to write it. Full detail, including what to include and what happens next, is on the how to apply page.
Send a short pitch, not a finished article. One paragraph on the idea, one on your background, and a link to something you have written or a note about your qualification. That is all we need to say yes or no — and it takes you ten minutes rather than a weekend.
If You Want an Actual Job With Dogs
Since you came here from a job search, it would be unhelpful to leave you with nothing. These are the routes that genuinely employ people, and none of them is us.
| Path | What it involves | Where to start |
|---|---|---|
| Veterinary nurse / technician | Formal qualification, strong job market, hands-on clinical work | Your national veterinary nursing body; many practices take trainees |
| Veterinary practice support | Reception, kennel assistant, patient care — the usual way in without a qualification | Ask local practices directly; turnover is high |
| Professional groomer | City & Guilds or equivalent, then salon or mobile work | Grooming schools and apprenticeships |
| Dog trainer | Get accredited first — CCPDT, IAABC or ABTC. The unregulated market is crowded with the unqualified | See our resources centre |
| Walking, sitting, daycare | Low barrier, insurance and licensing required in many areas | Check local licensing rules before you start |
| Shelter and rescue work | Paid roles exist; volunteering is the standard route in and tells you fast whether it suits you | Local shelters and breed rescues |
| Assistance dog organisations | Training, puppy raising and client work. Competitive and rewarding | National assistance dog charities |
- How to apply — what to send and what happens next
- Editorial standards — how we write and check things here
- About this site — who we are and what we do not do
- Contact — for anything that is not a pitch