Over the years I have been overwhelmed by the sense of gratitude shown to me by owners of dogs who I have had the privilege to train. As well as getting a dog who behaves as a well-mannered member of the family, often the realisation that they don’t have to worry about the fictitious hierarchy that many so-called dog trainers wrongly continue to claim exists, leads them to say how glad they are that they chose me.
Finding the right dog trainer is hugely important, but it can be quite a task, especially when a simple Internet search brings up such a vast array of people claiming to have the necessary skills, experience, and understanding of dog behaviour. To help dog owners in their search, it is useful to know what things to look out for and avoid. Firstly, any references made by trainers to aspects such as ‘pack leader’ or ‘alpha’ suggests that the trainer ascribes to dominance-based training, which is known by knowledgeable dog experts to be unethical and vastly outdated. This type of training relies on punishment to induce pain and fear, which not only compromises the dogs’ welfare and increases the likelihood of more serious behaviour problems, but it also damages the relationship between dogs and humans. It is vital therefore, that owners are given the opportunity to understand the correct way of thinking about dog behaviour. This is why UK dog welfare, behaviour and training organisations such as the RSPCA, APBC and the DogsTrust have collaborated to provide a website to offer this information; this can be found on www.dogwelfarecampaign.org If self-proclaimed dog trainers dismiss the use of food in training and suggest that the dog should do as he is told out of respect for the owner, the likelihood is that the dog will only end up doing as he is told in order to avoid the pain that is inflicted if he doesn’t follow instruction - not out of respect for the owner. Modern professional dog trainers have to be more than just hobbyists. In addition to using reward-based training, they should at least have a recognised qualification in animal behaviour, years of of practical experience, superb people skills, and a huge amount of empathy and compassion for the dogs in their care. Once owners have found a dog trainer who they think is right for them, they should ask to observe one of the trainer’s classes and speak to other owners who have previously used the trainer’s services, before deciding whether or not to go ahead. © Comments are closed.
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