Not all trainers are qualified to treat your dog’s behavior challenges

So you have a problem you need help with. Your dog may be reactive on the leash, may not be able to cope with alone time at home, may chase the cat he shares the home with, or may even need to learn to walk on the leash without pulling. You go online and you see a myriad of training services. How to choose? Who do you trust your pup to? Are all trainers equal? Does it matter what protocols they use as long as they get what you need done? Do you care if they have educational background to match they service offer?

As you may have found already the dog training industry is not regulated. What does that mean to you? It means anyone can call themselves a trainer and you have no way to protect yourself because there are no mandatory certifications or education trainers must have in order to be allowed to train. Unlike a veterinarian or a human doctor who must go to school for several years before he/or she can practice medicine, a trainer does not have the same requirements and there is no certification or license he/she has to get in order to train.

Now, you start thinking: sooo…. what should I do to protect myself then? Well, the answer includes research the various trainers who can work on your problem behavior and start asking questions:

1. Did they take the time to voluntarily become certified?
2. Are they transparent in the methods they use?
3. Do they reply to your questions directly or do they use jargons such as balanced training methods?
4. Are they updating themselves in new training techniques and do they participate in continuing education programs?
5. Do they use positive or negative reinforcement, positive or negative punishment, or a mix?
6. Do they tell you which tools they use to train with (e-collars, pinch collars, martingales, head collars, no-pull harnesses, etc).
7. What is their dog training philosophy?

If some of their answers do not make you feel comfortable, move one and continue your research. Remember that even though a business many have many google reviews it does not mean the training philosophy is the type of philosophy you are looking for.

The American Veterinary Society for Animal Behavior as posted some guidelines to help owners choose the right trainer for them:

The bottom line is the right trainer for you is the one you feel comfortable with and has the rights tools, the right knowledge, the right philosophy to work with you and your dog.