Thursday, December 2, 2010

Dog Training Courses - Five Tips To Choosing The Right One

By Jon Porter


Learning the right methods to train your dog can be confusing. There are so many options to pick from. Is there any reliable way to choose which one is best? Yes. There are very important things you need to consider when trying to decide where or who to take dog training courses with. Here are some things you should evaluate when you're searching for the right dog training courses for both you and your dog.

Ask Local Professionals

Talk with veterinarians, groomers, and shelters in your area and find out who they recommend. A good dog trainer is probably well known around the local area, and there's a good chance the other dog service professionals will know about them.

Search The Internet

Search the internet for dog training courses near where you live. A number of pet stores hold classes, although this sort of class is not always the best learning environment. National professional organizations, like The Association of Pet Dog Trainers, have membership lists you can search through, too. And, you should also search for any dog kennel clubs in your area that might have training.

Contact Prospects

Once you have a few prospective dog trainers, it's time to start getting in contact with them. Always communicate with a trainer personally to ask questions about their practical knowledge. You should ask them how their classes are run, and in what manner they train. You might even ask for references. It is also significant to ask a trainer if they are at ease working with your type of dog or with the type of challenges your dog has. Do they mind having your breed in class? Have they worked with that breed before? If your dog has special issues, you most certainly want to get a sense of how they feel about it and how they would deal with it. Is your dog shy or scared or does he need aggressive dog training? What are the methods they will use? You never want to get to a class and discover your dog won't really get the kind of attention and education it needs.

Watch The Potential Candidates

Weed out the ones you can, based on your interaction with them. Of the surviving candidates, ask to watch a class . A respected dog trainer or kennel club will not mind permitting you to watch a class in progress before deciding. You want to make sure you are happy with the trainer and the dog training courses themselves. How well is the information conveyed? Is the trainer able to control the class?

Check Out The Group Size

The size of the training class is also a significant consideration. You want to know that you will be allowed to ask questions and receive proper attention with your dog. Dog training courses should never be much bigger than 10-15 dogs. But, if the class is in a compact space, less than 10 dogs should be in a course .

Finding and choosing an effective dog training course requires you to do a little prep work. You need to find a training professional with a good reputation. Ultimately, talking to the dog trainer and watching his dog training lessons personally will help you decide if you are comfortable both with the trainer and his method of training.




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