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What to look for in a Dog Trainer
Has the Dog Trainer received any formal training to become a dog trainer?
-One of the first things to consider when hiring a dog trainer is where did they receive their training and education from. There are many dog trainers and dog training programs that advertise that they are a certified trainer or training program. Most dog training certifications and dog training programs are online. These types of certifications and training programs are not justifiable. You wouldn't want a Doctor who received their training and education online with no onsite instruction, training, or practical application on a patient to conduct surgery on you correct? So then why allow a dog trainer with no onsite training to train you and your dog?
-At Inception K9 Academy, we have spent several weeks at many different onsite dog training schools, learning about dog training and education, as well as dealing with dog behavioral issues. Some of the classes and lectures we have received are:
- Ethology (Science of Animal Behavior)
- Dog Cognition (the process in dogs of acquiring, storing in memory, retrieving, combining, comparing, and using in new situations information and conceptual skills.)
- Animal Learning Theory (Operant and Classical Conditioning)
- Canine Emergency Medical Course
- Several hours of hands on training with certified instructors
- As well as many others
To view the dog training schools we have attended, Click Here.
...Posses a certificate from a dog training school?
Does the Dog Trainer posses a certified certificate from an accredited onsite dog training school?
-When it comes to dog trainers and their certifications, it may be hard to know which trainers received their certifications from an online school or certification process, and those who received onsite training from a dog training school. This is where you as the pet parent will have to really do your research. Online schools only teach textbook courses and lectures. They normally don't posses any onsite training with certified instructors, and therefore these students never receive any hands on training with any dogs before receiving their certificate stating they are a certified dog trainer.
-Some programs will certify citizens as dog trainers if they have over a certain number of hours or years of "dog training experience." These types of programs normally have the trainer send in some type of "documentation" showing their "hours" or "years" of experience, along with a video of the trainer training a dog(s), and usually a written testimonial from a former/current client about the trainer and their training. Once they review all the material, they will then send the trainer a "certified dog trainer" certificate.
-As you can see, online schools and programs that have a certification process are not justifiable when it comes to being a truly certified dog trainer. Online courses normally don't have any type of onsite training for hands on training and evaluations, and certification programs are not reliable due to anyone can fabricate the documentation and the contents within it. Receiving a dog training certification from an onsite dog training school ensures that the person who is looking to become a dog trainer has received one-on-one classes, lectures, tests, exams, hands on dog training, and evaluations before receiving their dog training certification.
-At Inception K9 Academy, we have been to many different onsite dog training schools. These dog training schools were anywhere from 8 to 13 weeks long while training 8 to 10 hours a day. We received classes, lectures, tests, exams, hands on dog training, as well as evaluations from instructors. Once we successfully completed these courses, we then received our certified dog training certificates. To view our Certifications and Awards, Click Here.
...Give you your dog's personality profile?
Can the Dog Trainer give you your dog's personality profile?
-As you probably already know, each dog has it's own personality. But did you know that there are 9 different profile types? Being able to know and understand your dog's personality profile will help you to understand why they act and do the things they do, as well as how they think and process information. This is great information to know as it will help you and the trainer with your dog training, but only a fraction of dog trainers in the US know about this and apply it to their training.
-Inception K9 Academy is the ONLY dog training company in New Mexico that has the training and education to be able to give you your dog's personality profile.
...use only one method or many training methods?
Does the Dog Trainer use only one method or many training methods?
-Most dog trainers usually use only one method of dog training. This training method is usually what they were taught when they were learning to become a dog trainer. Most trainers usually only stick to the one method they know and continue to use it instead of venturing into other training methods. This is problematic for pet owners as not all dogs learn the same way, so therefore you can't use the same method for every dog. Scientists have discovered that there are 9 different personality profiles for dogs. So if the dog trainer only knows one way to train a dog, then they will never be able to train the personality profiles that don't work with their particular method. These dog trainers usually ask clients to leave the training course, tell the pet owner their dog is not trainable, or fail the dog out of their course.
-At Inception K9 Academy, we use many different dog training methods. We are constantly creating and experimenting with new and faster training methods. Because we understand that not all dogs are the same, we are able to change our methods to suit the dogs way of learning and thinking. This allows us to ensure that not only will our pet owners receive continued success, but also a place where they know their dog won't be turned down for training.
...customize the training to the dog & pet owner's needs?
Does the Dog Trainer customize the dog training to the dog and pet owner's needs?
-Most dog trainers have a set way of training and a set program. They usually utilize only one training method as that is what they are accustomed to. This is problematic if the dog trainer uses only the one training method and that method doesn't work for that dog's personality profile. This can also be problematic for pet owners as not all pet owners want or need the same things in and from their dog. Some dog owners just want a dog to be consistent with commands while others want their dog to do obedient like a show dog. Some owners like for their dog to be up on the bed/couch while others don't want them on the bed/couch. A dog trainers ability and willingness to customize the training to the dog and pet owners needs is beneficial to the dogs learning as well as the owners desires.
-We at Inception K9 Academy understand that in order to help the dog learn and make the owner happy, we will need to customize the training for those wants and needs. That is why we like to know what your goals are before starting training. This way we don't accidentally remove or instill a behavior into the dog that we may need later or need to take out later in training. We even go as far as helping you to train your dog in a different language by request.
...How much content/commands does the trainer cover?
How much content and how many commands does the Dog Trainer cover for the price of their class?
-Most dog trainers courses are 6 one hour sessions long. They usually cover on average 8 commands and discuss some dog related material. This is extremely basic and barely scratches the surface of dog related material needed to know for your dog as well as commands. Since dogs do not have the ability to think like we do as humans, anything that is a change to them needs to be trained over again like the dog never knew it. So if the dog trainer only teaches the dog how to sit in front of you, then your dog will never know how to sit 6 feet away from you because it only knows how to sit in front of you. When it comes to everyday situations, your dog is going to need to learn how to do more than just one sit or more than just one down.
-Here in New Mexico, people love to take their dogs with them everywhere they go. Because we understand this, we have designed a course that will teach you about how dogs think and behave, confidence building and overcoming fears, as well as health and nutritional needs. Along with the education side of training, you will also learn over 20+ commands with your dog that you can use on an everyday basis. This course is a one-on-one course and is 8 one hour sessions long. So as you can see, we cover over twice the material, twice the commands, and in almost the same amount of time. Next time you look at a training companies price, you might want to ask yourself if you are getting a good deal for the amount of information they cover as well as the amount of commands they teach.