Professional Dog Training Services & Pet Photography

Q. What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?

A. Run from any trainer that offers a guarantee with their training services. Dogs are living creatures, and, as such, make mistakes. No one can guarantee your dog will never make another mistake or display a certain behavior again, just as you couldn't guarantee on the behavior or conduct of another person.

Make sure you and your dog are a good match for any trainer you choose.

Check the methods the trainer uses, make sure you are comfortable with them. There are many, many methodologies. Find the one that works for you and your dog because you should like training your dog, not dread it.

Watch the trainer in action. Does the dog appear to be really listening to the trainer? Trainer and dog should have good interaction with each other. Does the trainer communicate well with her clients? You should be able to understand the instruction, otherwise you might as well hearing them under water.

Q. If you were a customer, what do you wish you knew about your trade? Any inside secrets to share?

A. Continuing education, hands on experience, and good communication are a few key components in dog training.

By continuing your education in the field, you stay apprised of current trends, innovations, and alternate methods to use when your primary method is not working. Dog training requires you to think on you toes. You can prevent stagnation in your techniques by keeping yourself up-to-date, or, better yet, ahead of the game.

You can have all the knowledge in the world, but if your practical application is lacking, you will not get the results you're looking for. Experience does count in this business, if you're just starting out, try apprenticing under a great trainer or at your local dog training club.

It's not just about dogs, it's about people too. A trainer needs to have good communication skills with both the dog and owner. Otherwise, how are you to get your point across?

Q. What questions should a consumer ask to hire the right service professional?

A. What training methods do you use? What are the required training materials for your courses/services?

The answer to these will tell you whether you even want to try their training. Training should be proactive rather than reactive, meaning you should set your dog up for success by teaching them what you want them to do rather than just correcting them for their mistakes.

How long have you been training dogs? How many dogs have you trained? Do you have any certifications, professional memberships, or certifications?

Experience counts in dog training, but so does eduction. Good trainers should have several years of experience and have successfully trained hundreds of dogs of various breeds in order to read canine body language and obtain the timing required to communicate with the dog. Certifications are new and will tell you whether the trainer has the book knowledge, but it does little for practical application. Memberships and affiliations will tell you about their activities where their training skills have been assessed to some degree.

Do you have a vaccination policy? What is it?

Every trainer should have a vaccination policy for the health and safety of all the dogs in their classes.

How many dogs are in your classes?

Smaller classes are better for more one-on-one time with your trainer. 5-8 dogs per class allows for both socialization opportunities and personal attention.

Do you work with ___________?

Fill in the blank with breed or behavioral issue. You might as well know upfront whether they can help you or not. Trainers that know their own limitations will be honest with you and might even be able to recommend another trainer if they personally can't help you with your issue.

Can I come and watch a class?

Your trainer should be open and invite you to see what you'd be paying for before you enroll. Your success with training your dog is your trainer's success too.