Contents
Dog Training Basics
Dog Training Tools and Supplies
How to Prepare Your Dog for Training
How to Crate Train Your Dog
How to Housetrain Your Dog
How to Teach Your Dog to Walk
on a Leash and Stop Pulling
How to Teach Your Dog to Come
How to Teach Your Dog to Sit
How to Teach Your Dog to Lie Down
How to Teach Your Dog to Stand
How to Teach Your Dog to Stay
How to Stop Your Dog from Chewing, Digging, and Barking
How to Get Professional Dog Training Help
Learn more with these titles from Barnes & Noble
|
 |
 |
 |
|
How to Get Professional Dog Training Help
There are two types of dog training professionals that you can turn to for extra help:
- Trainers: These help with basic obedience problems and nuisance behaviors, such as chewing, digging, barking, and jumping.
- Behaviorists: These help address more severe dog behavior problems, such as aggression, separation anxiety, and fear.
Though most dog owners consider seeking professional training help as a last resort, it’s often a good idea to have at least one session with a trainer at the outset of your training efforts. The trainer can help assess your dog’s personality, answer any questions you might have about general training methods and supplies, and explain training approaches to specific behaviors that you’d like to correct. You can then continue working with him or her or proceed on your own.
Professional Dog Training Sessions
Trainers usually offer three types of sessions: private, semiprivate, and group.
- Private (one-on-one): The most expensive option, but may be necessary for serious problems such as aggression or separation anxiety. $75–150 per hour.
- Semiprivate (with 2–3 other dog owners): Less expensive than private lessons, and your dog will still get a lot of attention from the instructor. $30–50 per hour.
- Group (with 6–10 other dog owners): The least expensive option, with the least amount of one-on-one attention from the instructor. $15–30 per hour.
The type of session you choose depends on your budget and on how much one-on-one attention you and your dog require. If you’re just starting out, it may be best to schedule a private session in which you and your dog will receive considerable attention from the trainer.
How to Find a Reputable Dog Trainer
Dog trainers are not required by law to obtain any type of
official degree or certification, so the best way to find a reputable trainer is through a referral from someone you trust. Start by consulting your vet or one of these organizations:
- Association of Pet Dog Trainers: www.apdt.com
- International Positive Dog Training Association: www.ipdta.org
These organizations require all members to have a certain level of professional dog training education and experience.
How to Choose a Trainer
If you’re finding a trainer on your own, consider the following guidelines to help you hire a professional who’s worth your time and money:
- Education: Ask the trainer for information regarding the education that he or she obtained. Education can include dog training educational seminars, training certification courses, and so on.
- Certification: Ask to see proof of any certifications that the trainer claims to have obtained.
- Methods: Generally, it’s best to work with a trainer who shares your personal views on training methods. For instance, if you’d like to work with a trainer who uses only positive training, be sure to ask whether he or she favors that approach and uses it exclusively—some trainers use a variety of methods.
- Experience: The trainer should have experience training a wide variety of breeds and ages of dogs, including ones similar to yours. He or she should also have experience and expertise in the specific types of behaviors with which you’d like help.
- References: Always ask for 2–3 references from previous clients. Follow up on the references and ask detailed questions about the trainer’s performance and the effectiveness of the training provided.
Be wary of trainers who claim they can “train any dog,” promise unrealistically speedy results, or “guarantee” the effectiveness of their training—no one can guarantee that a certain training method will work for every dog.
| Acknowledgments & Disclaimer |
Tags
No one has tagged this page yet... Be the first.. Log in using the link below and return to add your tag
