Choosing a trainer

Choosing the appropriate dog trainer may be one of the most important steps to a long and happy relationship with your dog. And I do believe that everyone should try and attend at least one basic obedience class with your dog, whether young or old. Choosing the right trainer for you and your dog will make this relationship more successful.

First of all, choose a trainer that uses reward or positive reinforcement training. Punishment based training that involves yanking on the leash, yelling, rolling the dog or shocking the dog are not effective long term and do not help you to build a relationship of trust with your dog. Punishment training is much more likely to induce fear in your dog leading to long term negative consequences.

Look for a trainer that attends regular continuing education and holds certification in their field. They should be constantly looking to improve their methods. New behavior research is always being published and they should be regularly reviewing the latest research.

Ask to observe a class to see if you think it would be a good fit for your learning style. Also watch the interactions in class to see if both owners and dogs appear to be relaxed and enjoying themselves. Are dog tails up and wagging with happy alert expressions on their faces? This is a happy dog. If they tail is tucked, the ears are down and the dog is trying to hide they are not having a good time. Also watch how the instructor interacts with the owner and pet. They should be encouraging and patient as every dog (and owner) will learn behavior at different rates.

For more information about choosing a trainer and also the reasons for positive versus punishment training check out www.avsabonline.org