FAQs
- What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
I am a certified dog trainer by the International Association of Canine professionals., I am also an AKC evaluator for the Canine Good Citizen program.
- What types of customers have you worked with?
Obedience (basic through advanced) Behavior Modification Jumping Leading on the walk Aggression (animals and people) Fear etc.
- What advice would you give a customer looking to hire a provider in your area of work?
If you need help finding a skilled professional in your area try asking your friends and neighbors for referrals or call a reputable pet sitting service or your vet office and asked them if they can recommend anyone. Once you have a professionals contact information, call them. During your conversation ask everything you want to know but avoid demanding training or behavior modification be done a specific way. You called a professional to help you because you were overwhelmed with your dog challenges. Let the professional tell you what he suggests to achieve your goals and why he is recommending it. Expect a high-level answer only at this point. Any professional will want to meet you and your dog before providing a detailed diagnosis and resolution approach. A knowledgeable professional will also always ask you questions of his own about your dog and your specific problems. He will want to know things about your dogs background and daily routine as well as inquire about possible health conditions if applicable to your problems. A reputable professional will often offer you a chance to meet him or her prior to hiring, so he can evaluate your challenges first hand and give you a chance to get to know him as well; after all if you invite someone into your home to work with you and your dog, you need to be comfortable with that person. Reputable professionals charge by the hour (or offer fixed price packages with discounts or guarantees), dont stand there with a stop watch and will want you to be part of the process. Warning signs are upfront payment requests for large dollar amounts of prepaid hours without guarantees or fixed prices for specific dog problems with a limited number of hours without guarantees. Also, trainers who want to jump straight into scheduling without taking the time to answer your questions, will probably be similarly brief should you hire them. Trainers who offer comprehensive remote diagnosis without ever having met your dog are also people you probably want to stay away from.