Being a dog trainer myself, it has become a competitive industry more over the last few years. Since COVID and the rise of pet parents (the rise of reactive dogs). More and more dog trainers seem to be popping up ready to take all your money. You see YouTube, Google ads, TV shows, Facebook ads, Tik Toks and so much more. I have even seen apps advertising dog training right from your phone. Some trainers tell you to do this, while the others tell you not to do that. How do you know you are doing the right thing? All I can say is no matter how you train your dog, at least you are trying. There are hundreds of different ways to teach the same behavior, but at least you are training. Remember this is just my opinion through my own personal experiences:
First being education: Anyone can call themselves a dog trainer. To avoid someone that may be scamming you with their knowledge can be the first main red flag. Look for letters next to their name in their email responses, descriptions on websites or social media post. Some of the common letters are: CCPDT, ABCDT, APDT, CATCH, NADIO, AKC, KPA, IACP are just a few common ones. Using phrases such as animal science degrees, animal behaviorist, behavior specialist, animal behavior degrees, k9 trainers do not prove education or certification. It's like showing up to a job interview saying your a doctor when you haven't even graduated college.
Second avoiding anyone who uses alpha theory in their training methods. Now I am not talking about the word dominance. I am talking about someone preaching showing your dog whose boss, is the reason they do not listen to you. Listen. The dude who wrote the book on alpha theory wishes he never did. So why are we still holding on to these terms.
Third price gauging. This one gets me going. But I do believe dog trainers are pricing themselves out of a career. The average person is not able to afford dog training and for me this hits hard. I often get told that I am undervaluing myself by trying to stay affordable for the average person. However, how am I to ever make a difference in this industry by not being there for a dog that is in need of behavior modification. When it is me who has the knowledge to do so. Make that make sense. Hundreds of dogs are put down everyday and the number one killer of dogs is behavioral issues. When I am one in the position to change that, why would I max out my profit and watch these animals suffer. What I am getting at is just because the training program is expensive, it does not mean its the best training you can get.
Overall my advice to you is pick the Dog Training program that makes sense to you and your family. Shop around and look at all your options. It's not even wrong to have multiple trainers for some situations, or use multiple services. Dog Training is a process and not something that happens overnight. It is the best thing that you can give your dog.
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