Dog may be regarded as man’s best friend but you are not likely to get the best from your dog without proper training. Dog training is a deliberate, well-planned routine that helps your dog behave the way you need it to.
Anyone can call themselves a dog trainer, even those untrained because dog training is not regulated. This makes it challenging to find the right dog trainer in Huntsville. To ensure you choose the right instructor, this article discusses some important things you should know before choosing a dog trainer.
Training Method
One of the most important things to look for in a dog instructor is reward-based methods. These methods may also be called force-free, positive reinforcement, or humane. But just because someone uses those words on their website doesn’t mean they do it in real life.
This training method involves rewarding a dog so that it will likely repeat a behavior. It also involves taking away a reward so that a behavior is less likely to happen. Using rewards to make a behavior happen more often is known as positive reinforcement. To describe their work, some dog trainers refer to themselves as positive reinforcement trainers.
Others call themselves humane or force-free trainers. They do this to set themselves apart from those who use aversive practices. Examples of such practices are shock collars, prong collars, alpha rolls, leash corrections, and so on.
However, the best reward that produces results is food. If you want to train your dog, you can use other types of rewards, like play. Yet, food works better because it’s faster to give and better for most situations. For example, play will make your pup jump out of the seat position.
So, you need someone who will train your canine friend with food. Don’t worry if your pup has to follow a certain diet. There is always something tasty from www.bernies.com tha
Some might say they are “balanced,” which could be a sign that they don’t only use reward-based training. Most of the time, “balanced” means that they also use punishments or “corrections.” That means that training your furry pal via the balanced technique is not a good idea.
Another warning sign is if the person says they train without food. Don’t forget that you want to find an instructor who will train your dog with food. Cross them off your list right away if they say they don’t use food.
One more sign is if you read customer reviews and one of the things they talk about is a shock collar. Or if the teacher sells that kind of thing online. No evidence supports the use of shock collars, and they are not better than training with treats.
If they talk about control or being the alpha or pack leader, that’s another sign that they’re using old methods. Remove them from your list once more. Take note of these signs to ensure you don’t get the wrong person.
Qualifications
Dog training, although not regulated, is a skill that needs to be learned. Trainers need to be able to read a dog’s body language. They must also possess good timing and know a lot about how dogs learn. They need to be good with people so they can explain everything to dog owners.
So, it’s not enough for someone to have loved dogs their whole lives or grown up with them. You need someone who is trained. Although the state and federal do not provide certifications in this industry, some organizations do.
Below are a few organizations that offer certification programs for people who want to improve their credentials:
- The Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT).
- The International Association of Canine Professionals (IACP),
- The National Association of Dog Obedience Trainers (NADOI)
A lot of trainers are also certified in well-known programs that show dogs how to behave properly and obey. A perfect example is the Canine Good Citizen (CGC) program from the American Kennel Club. Look for professionals who have these certifications.
Member of a Professional Organization
You should also look for a canine trainer who is a part of a professional group. An example is The Association of Professional Dog Trainers (APDT), which uses only reward-based methods. You can read this article to learn more about reward-based methods. Keep in mind that this group uses a method called LIMA, which stands for “least invasive, minimally aversive.”
As you can guess from the name, this method allows for the use of aversive practices in some situations. So, ask the teacher about the techniques they will use. This will ensure no issues arise later.
Remember that you don’t have to just believe when someone claims to be a member of a professional organization. You need to confirm it yourself. You should be able to find them in the list of that group to make sure they are a member.
Continuous Education
Like people in any other job, canine behavior specialists should keep up with changes in their field. Once more, there are no rules about canine training, so they don’t have to keep learning. Professional organizations, on the other hand, expect their members to keep learning.
Before hiring, check their website to see what kinds of ongoing education they are currently engaged in. If they are new to the profession, they might not have had much time for further education. However, make sure they have some education.
Transparency
You need an instructor who will be transparent about their methods. Here are three things you should ask these professionals. You can look elsewhere if you don’t like the replies.
- What exactly will happen to my dog if he gets the training right?
- What exactly will happen to him if he fails to get it?
- Are there any less invasive alternatives to what you propose?
Customer Reviews and Social Media
Once you believe you have found a good instructor, read the reviews and check out their social media pages. Hopefully, you will find nice things that happy customers have said about them. A lot of canine behavior instructors also have social media accounts like Facebook, X, and Instagram. On these sites, they post photos and interesting stories about the canines they train.
If you hire them and agree, they might even share your pup’s pictures. They should ask anyway, so let them know if you don’t want them to. Some instructors even have blogs that you can read to get good tips and find out what they’re doing.
Conclusion
Finding the right dog trainer in Huntsville can be challenging. However, with this detailed guide, you’re sure to make the right choice. Ensure that you know the exact methods they will use in the training.
Sit Means Sit Dog Training North Alabama
2101 Leeman Ferry Cir SW Suite A, Huntsville, AL 35801
(256) 251-7113
https://sitmeanssit.com/dog-training-mu/huntsville-dog-training/
