-
Step 1
It's important to understand that anyone can say they are a dog trainer. There are no regulations for dog trainers. The sad fact is there are a lot of dog trainers who have very limited experience or are using outdated, harsh training methods.
-
Step 2
A good dog trainer will have experience training dogs, knows a lot about dog behavior, knows how to teach and enjoys working with people. A little-known secret is that a lot of people who become dog trainers, groomers or other animal-related professionals don't like working with people. It's the reason they become dog trainers; they think that they won't be spending a lot of time with people.
Another little known secret is this: Most dog trainers are not dog trainers—they are people trainers. I have spent a lot more time training people to train their dogs than I have actually spent training dogs. -
Step 3
A good way to start searching for trainers in your area is to contact people in the dog business such as vets, groomers and kennels. A trainer with a good reputation will be known in the area.
-
Step 4
Search the Internet. Start putting together a list of trainers in your area. A great organization to start with is the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (see Resources below). It will list trainers in your area.
-
Step 5
Once you have a list of trainers in your area, call them and ask a few questions. Here are some good questions to ask:
1. How long have you been training?
2. Who or where did you learn from?
3. Have you dealt with a lot of different behavior problems?
4. What style of training do you use?
5. have they worked with a lot of different breeds?
You can also get a feel for the trainer by talking to him/her. It is well worth the effort to find the right trainer—the wrong trainer can really do more damage than good.
