Finding a dog trainer good trainer is an essential task for owners of puppies or new dog owners. Their job is to help you as the owner eradicate any unwanted behavior in your dog or puppy, house training, and crate training them.
There are many things to look out for when searching for the ideal dog trainer. When you find them also there are questions for these aspiring dog trainers. If you are in Maroochydore, then you can use this
dog training in Maroochydore.
Questions to Ask Dog Trainers
In your dog trainer search, there are some essential questions you have to ask before deciding on sticking with the trainer or continuing your search. See below-
How Were You Trained?
Formal training is essential and can't be discounted, but the trainers previous experience is also pivotal in determining their success with dogs. The ideal dog trainer is someone who combines formal training with experience with dogs and other animals.
You can teach some things only by experience; if the trainer doesn't have such experience, they won't do it. Another thing that you ask is the trainer's attitude towards retraining and knowledge of modern training methods.
Trainers averse to modern training methods should raise a red flag, as updating knowledge is critical.
What Training Methods Do You Use?
The best training methods are relationship-based; the trainer building a bond with the dog brings about the best results. Any trainer that believes in compulsion or punishment as a training method, punishing a good for not following instructions is a wrong way for training.
How Much Experience Do You Have?
A trainer without experience cannot train your dog effectively; the minimum bar you must set for dog trainer experience is six months. Most dogs know that new trainers might not have the calm and confident demeanor to handle certain situations when their human owners or trainers lack confidence.
Your dogs won't be trained in cases like this as they don't see the trainer as their alpha.
What Type of Animals Have You Trained?
Some trainers prefer to work with only one type of animal, while others are comfortable training different animals. There is nothing wrong either way, but a trainer with experience training other animals might pick up something teaching them that might help your dog.
Can I Contact Any of Your Customers?
Getting in touch with previous clients of your potential dog trainer is an excellent way to judge the results of his work. You can ask questions to confirm the trainer's answers and also see the impact of the training.
You can also check the way the trainer answers your questions. Is he clear and patient? It is not just you got that is going to class; you will be there too. So have to know if both of you will have communication issues.
What to Look for in A Good Training Class
Now that you have picked out a dog trainer, it is good to practice visiting and observe a class without your dog. The reason for this is to see first-hand the trainers' methods and his pupils (the dogs). You can gauge if you or your dog will feel comfortable in the class or not and check out other things about the training environment.
The Behavior of Other Dogs
Just like a child attending school for the first time, dogs get nervous in a new environment. Check how the trainer and the assistant help calm new and nervous or anxious dogs. If there are no new dogs, observe dogs that have been in the class for a while.
The ideal behavior is for dogs to be interested in lessons and relaxed. If you notice most dogs have their tails tucks or exhibit other signs of fear or avoid eye contact, something is wrong.
Training Methods
As stated earlier, the best ways to train a dog are by relationship building and reward-based training methods. Rewarding dogs with food, play, or toys for a job well done is a great way to train them. If a trainer relies on training techniques that rely on fear, pain, and other punishment methods, don't join.
Class size
The recommendation is no more than eight puppies in a trainer's class, along with an instructor and one assistant.
Environment
The ambiance of the training environment is paramount; you can judge the stress levels by observing the frequency of the shouting and barking happening.
Tailored for The Individual
Any competent trainer should know that different dogs are motivated by different things and progress at different rates. If the training class does not allow individual dogs to go at their pace, then the course isn't for you.
On Topic
Dog trainers are not medical experts; they shouldn't give owners medical advice. Your trainer should refer you to the vet doctor or a licensed animal behaviorist for anything apart from training.
Conclusion
Getting a good trainer for your dog is the first step in enjoying a fulfilling friendship with your new best friend. Look out for both of you, and ensure the trainers comply with all official dog trainers' regulations.