How to hire a great dog trainer

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Whether you’re having behavior problems with your dog or you just want your dog to be more obedient, it might be time to hire a dog trainer. Of course, you don’t want to hire just anyone–it’s really important that you hire someone who’ll suit your dog’s temperament and train your dog the way you want your dog trained.

  1. Do your research on dog trainer styles. Do you want someone experienced with clicker training? Would you like someone who’s all about the positive reinforcement? Or are you more traditionally-minded when it comes to dog training? By knowing the different approaches to training, and the one that best resonates with you, you’ll be able to find a dog trainer who follows the methodology you’re looking for.
  2. Find out if anyone you know has hired a dog trainer. It’s always best if you can get recommendations, so ask around. Now, mind you, just because your best friend’s sister’s husband’s brother hired some guy who worked wonders with their dog doesn’t mean you’ve found your dog trainer, it just means you’ve found a potential dog trainer ;-). You still want to call around and find several people to interview.
  3. Make consultation appointments with two or three dog trainers. Most will offer this for free because they want to meet you and make sure there’s a good fit between the dog trainer, the dog, and you. This is a great time to get your questions answered and to ask to see the dog trainer at work with one of their own dogs.
  4. If you’re having trouble deciding, check out a few local classes to get a feel for different dog trainer styles. Often, you can audit these classes (leave your dog at home, of course) and that will help you see the dog trainer in action.
  5. Hire the dog trainer that you feel is the best match for your dog’s temperament. And, of course, for best results do what they tell you to ;-). But that’s a topic for a future article.

Have you ever worked one-on-one with a private dog trainer? What did you like best about the process? I’d love to hear about your experiences!

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