How to Choose the Right Dog Trainer: Avoid Costly Mistakes with These Expert Tips!

You get a new dog and the advisable next step is, get a dog trainer! But where do you start? With the rise of social media, you can find hundreds of individuals who all claim that they can train your dog. But, how do you know who is legit? How do you know that the person you are about to invest potentially thousands of dollars in, will be able to help you achieve your training goals? While there are many things to consider when hiring a professional dog trainer, here are a few of my recommendations to keep in mind the next time you are on the hunt for a trainer to help you with your four-legged friend.

First, I’ll start with a brief introduction of who I am. After all, I am a dog trainer. However, my original degree is in Criminal Justice. When I graduated college, I started working with dogs at a dog daycare, and realized I enjoyed learning about them and helping owners resolve certain issues they were having with their pup. So, I decided to go to school, again, and get certified to become a dog trainer. Did you know that, in order to become a professional dog trainer, you don’t HAVE to have any schooling? That’s right! You could just wake up tomorrow morning and decide to start charging people to train their dog. While I have no doubt that in order to work with dogs, or any animal for that matter, you have to have a certain natural ability, additional schooling or certifications is a must to prove legitimacy. So, when you are doing a dog training search, make sure the person you are researching has some sort of credentials.

My second piece of advice would be to avoid, or at the very least, be wary of someone who says they can ‘do it all!’ Because let’s face it, no one can do it all. Dog trainers who claim to be able to successfully train everything from basic obedience to rehabbing aggression are most likely spreading themselves too thin and therefore, may not give you the results you are looking for. Instead, look for a trainer that has found their niche. For example, if your dog pulls a lot on the leash, look for a trainer that specializes in leash walking. If you’re dog cannot be left home alone without destroying the place, search for someone who has extensive experience in resolving separation anxiety. Where can you find this information? It should be very clearly stated on their website, ideally in their Programs or About Me section. They don’t have a website? While this isn’t a deal breaker, in this day and age they should, at the very least, have some sort of social media presence or a Google page which states where they are located and hopefully, positive reviews!

Third, use an open mind when researching your trainer! With the plethora of dog training styles and various training tools available, I would recommend finding a trainer who has a flexible approach to their craft. Don’t sell yourself short by researching trainers who only practice one specific style because, chances are, they may not be able to help you with your problem. And then you’re left with an even bigger problem (because issues only get worse when left untreated) and money has been wasted. For example, let’s say your dog is lunging at people who walk past them on leash. This is a huge problem and has the potential to become an even bigger liability. But, you’re only interested in a purely positive dog training approach. While positive reinforcement dog training has its place, in my experience there are certain behaviors, such as extreme leash reactivity, that do not benefit from this method. In fact, I have found that prolonged practice of this method on intense behavioral issues makes them a bit, worse. Why? I believe it’s because in purely positive reinforcement, corrections or the word ‘No’ are not used when requesting the dog not do a certain behavior. Instead, avoidance tactics are employed…distracting the dog away from the issue instead of teaching them how to cope with it. But the only way to teach them how to cope is to enact a boundary, or a ‘No’ when the behavior has occurred, and then showing them a more positive alternative. Helping a dog understand what it can’t do, for their safety and well being, and replacing it with what they can do, is the purest form of love. Boundaries are the stuff of life and dogs thrive when they understand where their boundaries lie. So, when you hire a trainer that can be flexible with their method to suit the dog that is in front of them, you are making a positive investment both monetarily speaking, and in the quality of life of your dog.

Finding a quality dog trainer is more than just a Google search. It’s a commitment to do better by your dog, and to improve your relationship with them. You want to see, what makes this person qualified to tell me how to train my dog? Are they specialized in specific areas or do they claim they can do everything? And, are they open minded? Do they pigeon hole all dogs, or do they work with the dog that’s in front of them? When you do the homework, you will reap the rewards. And remember, a trainer is not just there to train your dog. They are there to train you as well….so be prepared to learn!

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