At this time, NADOI and the APDT are the only organizations recognized by professional trainers and veterinarians.

What qualities do you need in order to be a good trainer? First of all, you should be aware that your primary job will not involve training dogs; it will involve training people! Most of your time will be spent teaching the owner how to train his or her dog. Good communication and people skills are a top priority. You will need a great deal of flexibility, as well as the ability to see other people’s point of view.

Accredited colleges do not offer dog training programs. Most colleges do offer some courses which would be beneficial as background information, such as Psychology of Learning or similar classes dealing with applied learning theory.

There are several private dog training academies throughout the country, most not worth the price of attendance. Remember, NADOI and the APDT are the only “certification” entities recognized by trainers and veterinarians in the US, so an individual school’s “Master Trainer” or “Certified Trainer” title may wow your future students, but is a rather meaningless accolade.

If you should decide to go to a training school, avoid the ones boasting that they can teach you everything about all aspects of dog training in one course. Each field of dog training is its own separate field of expertise, and it takes years to become expert in any ONE area. “Learn obedience training, behavior problem solving, personal protection training, police dog training, tracking, search and rescue, assistance dog training, and how to run your own business in just six weeks,” is not a realistic claim. There are no “secrets of professional dog trainers.”

Another problem with most training schools is that they tend to teach only one “method.” There is no one training method you can learn that will work on all dogs in all situations, or even come close. In order to be a good trainer, you have to know many, many training methods, and preferably know enough about canine behavior and how dogs learn to make up your own methods to fit a given situation.

And, just as anyone can call themselves a dog trainer, anyone can run a school for dog trainers. Buyer beware!

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For the first time dog owner, a dog trainer will not simply train your dog to perform the actions you want because it will be you who will take on this mantle when you return home. For this reason, a good dog trainer will teach you to how to train your dog. However, there are a number of dog trainers available who can help with training you and your pet. You will want to find the best available and the first decision you should make is whether to have one on one dog training or group sessions.

As with many forms of training, one on one training offers the most direct and the most precise results. You will be able to concentrate on the things you want to and go at a pace that suits you, your dog and the trainer. One on one training sessions can usually be conducted either on the trainer’s premises or in your own home. Training within your own house means your dog will not be affected by the surroundings and should find it easier to concentrate.

Group sessions may not be geared directly towards you and your dog specifically but they do offer you an excellent opportunity to socialize your dog. By letting him meet other dogs and other people he may find it difficult to concentrate at first on the activities you need him to perform but eventually he will get used to the added distractions and this will make it much easier walking him in the long run.

Regardless of the type of dog trainer you use, it is vital that you continue what you have learnt when you return home as well as simply when you are at training lessons. By reinforcing everything you have learnt in this way the training will be much more effective. Set aside a time every single day to practice specific things but always maintain the techniques on a regular basis in everyday life. It might not really matter to you if your dog doesn’t do as told when you are at home on your own but letting him do something one time and then reprimanding him for it the next will inevitably confuse him.

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