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Need a dog trainer? Here’s some help in choosing the right one

By on July 17, 2018

Like humans, our pets have their distinct impulses on which they will act depending on their breed and personality. Now, in the beginning, your spunky dog and his tactics will seem to be the cutest thing ever, but over time, this may get very annoying.

A puppy jumping around for a few days- cute but, when that puppy grows to a Great Dane and jumps on your guest- not so cute.  To avoid unwanted behaviour, we need to train our dogs on a wide range of aspects such as, leash training, socialization training, house manner training etc. And while we may think we are enough to train our own dogs, keep in mind that a little help from outside always goes a long way.

Therefore, why not get a trainer for your dog, who will help balance your dog’s bouncy personality with the “hoo-man table etiquette”? While most dog owners probably have a trainer for their dogs, others are still considering getting one.

If you are one of those who want to get trainers for your dog but are not sure where and how you will find one, do not worry.

Here are some tips that you can follow while looking for a trainer for your dog.

1. Talk to other dog owners:

Word of mouth goes a long way when it comes to finding out valuable information, talk to other dog owners or call your friends to find out about their experience. For example, you can always ask about the kind of classes that the trainers conducted.

You can ask them for recommendations and referrals as well.

Research, research and do more research not only on the trainers available in your area but, also, about other aspects of dog training such as the training methods.

2. Run a background check on the selected trainer:

You might want to consider understanding if the trainer(s) you have selected or shortlisted is actually a certified trainer or not.

Make sure to correctly verify the certification a person claims to have. It must be kept in mind that unless verified, their claims can be fake.

You can visit Lookupinmate which can help you check if someone has a criminal record.

If you’re interested in more information about vetting people you’d employ, take a look at information from CheckBack and BS7858 Security Vetting.

3. Educate yourself on training methods:

You need to also study about training classes and understand how the training methodologies procedures work.  For example, the word positive reinforcement means a lot in the world of dog training.

So, understand what it means and what methods the trainers are using to teach your dog to behave in a desirable manner.

When you understand the training methods yourself, you will be able to be clear on exactly how your dog will be trained. You will also be able to understand trainers the jargon that trainers use.

For example, if a trainer says he uses the modern methodology, there are high chances he will not use pain or punishment.

Make sure to ask the trainers questions in the lines of “What is your training methodology?”

4. Understanding what’s best for your dog:

You are the most important person and the best decision maker when it comes to understanding your dog’s needs and training him accordingly. Be very clear to your dog’s trainer about what you want to train your dog one. Like if you want your dog to be more social or if you want to train him to walk on a leash. Be very clear to the trainer.

It is important that you set goals and they are aligned with your trainer’s goals as well.

Moreover, when you take your dog for training, ask the trainer specifically about what you need to bring along with you.

For example, a dog-friendly trainer will probably ask you to take soft toys or treats or anything else that will radiate a positive attitude.

In order to further understand the trainer, you can ask to observe one of his training classes for free.

5. Interact with the trainers:

Look for a trainer who is interactive in nature and is great at communicating.

The reason? Because a good trainer needs to be both communicative and patient as training dogs can sometimes be very frustrating. Therefore, should be on the lookout for a trainer who is going to support you as well.

In order to understand the trainer better, you can ask a question like if he keeps up with the latest training methods or not.

Final Words:

There you go; we have laid out for you some of the basic things that you can do in order to find a good trainer for your dog. It is also worth mentioning that there are mainly two types of dog trainers out there with their services- classic trainers and positive trainers.

Classic trainers are those who prefer to use methods which are aversive for the dog such as shock collars and strict dominant commands.

On the other hand, positive trainers use more modern methodology and positive reinforcements and science-backed means of training dogs.

In the end, we suggest that you look around a bit and research a minimum of three trainers in your area before you finally pick one. And remember this, only you can make the final and best decision on which trainer would be most effective for your dog.

About the Author:

This is a guest post contributed by Nasifa Sultan. She is a content writer at Feedfond. Writing about dogs and sharing her very personal experience with dogs to the internet is one of her passions.

More of her writings can be found atFeedfond.

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