1.) Versatility— A good
dog trainer will use techniques and training styles which are compatible
with your dog’s temperament. Every dog is different, and some
dogs respond better to certain approaches. What works for a Rottweiler
won’t necessarily work for a Poodle.
2.) Experience— I know people
who have been driving an automobile for 30 years and still can’t
parallel park! And dog training is the same way! Don’t measure
a dog trainer’s skill by his number of years in the profession.
Instead, judge a trainer by what he has done in the ‘Dog World,’
rather than how long he has been doing it.
3.) Cost— When you pay for
training, make sure you are paying for results... not for a specified
number of hours or sessions. Good dog trainers know that every dog
(and owner) is different. Some need more time to learn than others.
4.) Avoid Group Classes—
I’ve never seen a dog that is 100% reliable come out of a
group class. When professional dog trainers train their own dogs,
they never do it in a group setting. It’s always one-on-one.
There are just too many distractions for a new dog in a group class.
5.) How Much Should You Expect To Pay For
a Good Dog Training Program: Expect to pay between $400
and $1200. A good dog trainer will sometimes have a waiting list
of dog owners who want to work with him. Your goal should be to
work with the best dog trainer you can find, not to haggle over
the price. And in virtually all cases that we’ve seen, the
dog trainers who are charging bargain basement prices are the ones
who you probably don’t want to be working with in the first
place. It’s better to spend your money intelligently on a
top-notch dog training program in the first place, than to waste
your money chasing a bargain, and then have to pay more money for
a good dog trainer somewhere down the line.
6.) Ask for a Free Consultation:
You don’t need to pay a dog trainer to take a look at your
dog. This should be done for free. And besides, you don’t
want to pay money to meet a dog trainer, and then have to decide
whether you want to work with him!
7.) Should You Send Your Dog Away To Be
Trained? No. The idea of doing this is largely a scam predicated
on kenneling the dog so that the dog training company can charge
you even more money. For example, as a skilled dog trainer, I can
train your dog, and get him responding in a very impressive manner,
in about two days. But when I give him back to you, he’s going
to say, "I’ve never had to do anything you say before!
Why should I start now?" It’s just like driving. I can
build you a fantastic sports car, but if you don’t learn how
to drive it, it won’t get you from point A to point B. You
must find a dog trainer who will teach YOU how to train YOUR DOG!
8.) Should You Have A Dog Trainer Come
To Your Home? No. It’s going to work much better
if you learn to train your dog in a neutral territory.
9.) Why You Should Avoid the big, chain
pet store dog training programs: Because in most cases,
the dog trainers you’ll encounter have only 2 to 3 months
experience, and have been recruited through a newspaper ad. Dog
training is both an art and a science. There is no way that you
can become a professional dog trainer without apprenticing with
several experienced dog trainers, with varied backgrounds, over
an acceptable period of time. Stay away from the large pet store
dog training programs.
Do you
want to be able to take your dog anywhere, and KNOW that he'll listen
to you... even if tempted by another dog, a cat, or even a piece
of food??? Then check out: "Secrets of a Professional Dog Trainer!:
An Insider's Guide To The Most Jealously Guarded Dog Training Secrets
In History!" By Adam G. Katz, To read more of my dog training
ramblings, read about my book (click below):
http://tinyurl.com/4efaq
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