Choosing the right dog trainer for you and your dog
Hi! I’m Rebecca, The Family Dog Trainer. I know you love your dog. You want the best for them—the healthiest food, the tastiest treats, the softest beds.
You want the best dog trainer, too. But with so much conflicting information and advice swirling around out there, how do you choose? I’m happy to help you navigate this choice!
2 Things You Should Know
Dog training is an unregulated industry.
Unlike your doctor, lawyer, and CPA, dog trainers have no official regulating body. That means no required education, no enforced best practices, and no ethics oversight. The dog training industry hasn’t yet matured out of its Wild West phase. Someone could wake up one morning, roll out of bed, and declare themself a dog trainer on a whim.
The results are vast variations in dog trainers’ skills, knowledge, and methodologies – and a confusing chaos of advice. (Think doctors before the medical board existed to ban leeches or attorneys before the bar formed to hold professionals accountable for ethics violations.)
Methodology matters.
While the lack of regulation means trainers don’t have to adhere to the science of behavior and training, the science itself is clear about how dogs learn and how best to teach them.
Decades of research shows that reward-based, force-free dog training is the only approach to changing behavior without unwanted behavioral side effects, risk of physical harm (to dog or human), and potential damage to the relationship between dogs and their people.
In fact, leading veterinary bodies like the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior agree that reward-based training is the safest, most effective way to train all dogs, regardless of breed, age, size, or temperament. You can read their statement by clicking here.
Unfortunately, due to the lack of standardized professional education and regulation, outdated practices continue to persist.
I take methodology seriously and only use positive reinforcement dog training.
3 Tips for Screening a Professional Dog Trainer
Listen to language.
In an unregulated industry, language matters. Hire a dog trainer who is committed to the exclusive use of reward-based, force-free training. Your trainer might also use terms like positive training or positive reinforcement.
I call myself a positive reinforcement dog trainer. This is because I teach dogs and their people what to DO. Close your eyes for a minute. If I tell you “Don’t think about a pink elephant,” what do you visualize in your mind’s eye?... A pink elephant! If I tell you “Don’t touch the hot stove,” what do you visualize?... A hand touching a hot stove! Our mind struggles to draw an image for ‘do not’, it visualizes DO. Let’s try this again! What if instead I told you “Put your hands in your pockets when you walk past the stove,” – what do you imagine?... Putting your hands in your pockets! This alternate behavior prevents you from touching the hot stove.
How does this apply to dog training? Let’s say you don’t want your dog to run out the front door when you open it. A less skilled trainer might apply a yank or shock every time the dog attempted to go through the open door – This is an example of training the ‘do not’ approach. The dog still doesn’t know the right answer. Now, let’s practice applying the DO approach. What do we want the dog to do instead? How about, when the door opens, your dog goes to lay on his bed or stays by your side? This alternate behavior prevents the dog from running out the door.
Why do I like to positively reinforce aka reward (food, play, etc) a dog’s good behavior? Think about/consider your job and your payment for it. Would you work as hard for your boss 8 hours+ a day if they only paid you by a pat on the head and a “good job”?... and your dog never leaves their job!
Many trainers will mix the rewards with outdated methodology, so watch out for terms like “balanced”, “alpha,” “dominance,” and “pack leader”… or claims to match the method to the dog. The science of animal learning applies to all dogs, regardless of size, breed, or personality, and ALL dogs deserve to be trained without pain, fear, or coercion. A professional dog trainer will not need to use such approaches to get the job done. The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior addresses dominance theory on their website.
Look for credentials.
Committed professional dog trainers seek out professional learning, even though it isn’t yet required in our profession. While professional learning isn’t yet required, committed professional dog trainers seek it out—because you and your dog deserve effective, up-to-date methods that do no harm.
I am a certified professional dog trainer (CPDT-KA) and a licensed Family Paws Parent Educator. Through mentorships, shadowing, on-the-job experience, and continuing education, I am well-versed in canine learning theory, training protocols, mechanical skills, and behavioral problem solving. I commit myself to ongoing professional development, seeking each year to keep my skills and knowledge current. I regularly attend online classes, webinars, seminars, and conferences, in addition to in-person weekend workshops, because I believe there’s always more to learn.
Beware of training guarantees.
It’s unethical to guarantee specific training results. Doing so is a false promise – no one can guarantee the behavior of another living being capable of independent decision making. It’s like a gymnastics coach promising that all their new students will be able to do complete splits in 30 days.
Check that any trainer you consider hiring voluntarily submits to the highest ethical standards by belonging to professional associations or holding professional certifications. As a CPDT-KA and a licensed Family Paws Parent Educator, my memberships commit me to ethical guidelines and continuing education to stay on top of the best standards in the field.
While specific behavioral guarantees are a red flag, your trainer should guarantee excellent client service and top-notch support to set you and your dog up for success. I offer customized positive reinforcement training packages to address your goals and fit your lifestyle. I want to replace your pet parent stress with success and bring some calm to the chaos.
5 Questions to Ask Before You Hire
What are your dog training qualifications?
Green flag: The trainer describes positive reinforcement training academies, certifications, mentorships, professional dog training associations, on-the-job experience, or continuing education.
I am a certified professional dog trainer (CPDT-KA) and a licensed Family Paws Parent Educator. I regularly attend online classes, webinars, seminars, and conferences—in addition to in person weekend workshops—because I believe there’s always more to learn.
Red flag: The trainer avoids answering the question or balks at being asked. The trainer responds with self-taught, learning only from their personal dogs, or an online training school with no hands-on work in a mentorship.
What kind of training methodology do you use?
Green flag: The trainer describes only reward-based, force-free, or positive-reinforcement based training. Your dog finds learning fun and loves training. Training is fun for both your dog and your family.
Red flag: The trainer talks about balanced training, traditional training, or utilizing the four quadrants of learning. They claim that the dog size/breed/age/behavior will determine if they use positive reinforcement or corrections/punishment-based training. They say they train with praise or pets only. They use terms such as pack leader, alpha, dominance or natural training. Veterinary behaviorists, the true experts, don’t ascribe to it. Click here to read the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior statement on training methodology.
What kind of training tools do you recommend?
Green flag: The trainer recommends training treats, toys, harnesses (Y shape on chest, H shape on back), flat collar with ID tag, 6-foot leash (non-retractable), play rewards, a mat to settle on, etc.
Red flag: The trainer recommends shock collar, stim collar, e-collar, prong collar (metal or plastic), choke/slip/check collars, spray bottles, cans with pennies or rocks to shake, bull horns, citronella spray. They may describe a shock collar as a stim or a tap to soften the sound of the punishment. The trainer recommends scruffing, rolling, pinning, leash jerking high and tight, or lifting your dog’s feet off the ground.
What do you do when a dog makes a mistake?
Green flag: The trainer advises adjusting the situation or environment to set the dog up for success. For example, they add distance from the distraction, increase the value of the food reward, and adjust criteria to work at the dog’s level or make it easier for him to get it right. They work at the dog’s pace towards that original situation in which the dog made a mistake.
Consider a pianist. They don’t go straight from playing a song in the comfort and privacy of their living room to Carnegie Hall. They learn and practice in comfortable environments. For example, they practice at a friend’s house, then a small party or church (increasing space and audience size, different pianos), then a larger event center – having dress rehearsals along the way – until finally confidently performing at Carnegie Hall.
Red flag: The trainer advises correcting mistakes. For example, utilizing a collar correction, stim collar, shock or pop, reprimand, hitting the dog, spray from a squirt bottle, shaking can of pennies.
What is your training guarantee? How long will it take to get results?
Green flag: They do guarantee to do everything in their power to set you and your dog up for the best success and to get you there as quickly as possible. The trainer describes the process as a team effort, where the owner practices between lessons, so that the skills become easier and more automatic for the dog. I promise to reduce your stress levels with individualized training plans and support.
Red flag: The trainer guarantees a specific outcome. For example, a guarantee that your dog will or will not do something specific. Real training results require time and effort. Be wary of quick fix promises and miraculous easy buttons. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
I didn’t learn to swim in a day. I developed individual skills (floating, kicking feet, moving arms, breathing) over time and then put them all together. I practiced between lessons. My parents didn’t throw me in the deep end of the neighborhood pool on day 1 and expect me to swim. The learning process is similar for your dog. I like to break the training down into bite-sized pieces so that your dog can be successful every step of the way.
1 more thing…
Your dog trainer should be dog and people-friendly.
You deserve to feel comfortable, heard, and supported by your dog trainer—not criticized or judged. Your dog trainer should be actively engaged with you and your dog, and as invested in your training success as you are. They want to hear about your wins and answer your questions. They are you and your dog’s coach and cheerleader!
And though dog training takes time and effort, you and your dog should both enjoy the process. Training can—and should be—fun.
In short, if the relationship or training advice doesn’t feel right, trust your gut and keep looking!
Ready to chose your dog trainer?
If you’re ready for a professional dog trainer dedicated to the best possible results for you and your dog, one who will provide support and reduce stress for both you and your dog, I’d love to hear from you.