Training Your Dog and Choosing a Trainer

man and his dog Choosing the correct training package for dogs is just as important as selecting the right education system for children. Just as the type of school and teachers are thought about carefully when children are ready to begin their formal education, so it is important to take time to evaluate your dog’s needs and try to select the most appropriate training programme, training method and trainer.

All dogs benefit from some degree of formal training as it helps them to know what they should do in any given situation. This in turn helps that they behave in a predictable way and reduces the chance of them making mistakes and causing problems. Should they make the wrong choice regarding their response, it is easier for the handler to bring a trained dog back under control than it is to control an untrained one. Training also helps to reduce anxiety since dogs trained correctly will understand the consequences of actions and know that they can rely on their handler to take decisions thus removing the need for them to take the initiative in responding to environmental stimuli.

Training is not only about obedience or work. It is about teaching your dog appropriate behaviour in order to ensure that he is accepted in the society in which he has to live. It is about teaching good manners. It is never too early to start training your pet and it is important to remember that just as children continue to learn when they are not at school so dogs will learn in the home environment as much as they do in the training club.

Types of training

There are four main ways to train a dog:

Go to training classes
Engage an individual trainer
Send the dog away to kennels to be trained
DIY – train your dog yourself at home

In part your choice will depend on your circumstances and your objectives. Apart from the choice of DIY-training, all of these options involve selecting an independent trainer whether for one-to-one lessons, through attending classes or by sending the dog to training kennels.

Defining Objectives

Before you start selecting classes or trainers or even decide to do it yourself, carefully define your objectives.

Do you just want a well mannered pet that will fit in with society?
Are you interested in competition work?
Are you considering training because you are experiencing a problem with your dog?
Is your dog aggressive, nervous or difficult with other dogs?

Once you have set out the reasons why you want to train your dog, you are in a much better position to decide which type of trainer or training programme suits you.

Checking your trainer

If you are going to seek personal help it is important to investigate the trainer and the methods they use. There are several dog training qualifications and qualification is not a guarantee of practical ability, so you should see the trainer in action. If a trainer refuses to allow you to observe a lesson before enrolling your dog then the safest thing to do is to look elsewhere.

Spend time with a number of trainers so that you can appreciate the differences in their training methods and decide which will suit you and your dog.

What do you look for in a training class?

You need to feel comfortable with the entire class experience, but the following are a few specific things to look out for:

The class needs to have a good instructor to student ratio – ideally not more than 6-8 dogs per instructor.
There needs to be adequate space in the training area for the number of dogs. If dogs are crowded, they can feel stressed and find it difficult to concentrate.
The area needs to be safe and secure for dogs and people
The instructor should be able to adequately manage challenging dogs. An experienced trainer should not need to resort to heavy handed techniques.
The trainer should be flexible in their approach to assist dogs and owners who are experiencing difficulties.
Measures should be in place to minimize the risk of incidents between dogs. A single bad encounter can have a seriously detrimental effect on a dog. Such isolated incidents are virtually inevitable, what is important is how the trainer manages the situation -Is it ignored or effectively remedied.
The atmosphere should be positive, relaxed and conducive to learning. Training should be an enjoyable and fun experience, not a humiliating one for either the dogs or their owners.
A good instructor will encourage you to ask questions and voice concerns. Assess their responses to questions and do not be afraid to query them further.
A good instructor will refer you to a veterinary behaviourist if needed

Entry requirements

Discuss with the trainer the entry requirements needed.

Is vaccination required? If not, why not?
What sort of collar and lead are required? Some ban choke chains, others insist upon them. Can the trainer adequately explain their choice and demonstrate that they are proficient in using the equipment?
Are the dogs classed by age? It is generally not advisable to allow young puppies and untrained adults to mix in a class.

Choosing a class

Particularly with their first dog, owners usually find a class the best starting point. It allows you to meet others with similar interests and similar problems. Training classes give you the basics and they are also relatively inexpensive. However some trainers do not allow problem dogs into classes, e.g. dogs that bark a great deal or show any aggression. Some trainers will run special classes for such dogs. Other trainers will refer them. Dogs with behaviour problems often need professional help and attending a class may exacerbate the problem.

Specific classes are also run for specific activities, e.g. Ringcraft, Flyball etc. Owners often start in basic training classes and find that they open up all sorts of new activities; Obedience, Agility, Flyball – you name it!.

Choosing the right training environment in the first instance is important. It should lead to enjoyment and be useful for both you and your dog.

Owner training

If you are a novice with respect to dog training or have not done it for some time you will find it worthwhile undergoing some training yourself. Do not think that DIY is necessarily cheaper as it often involves buying information in the form of books, videos etc on different approaches before you decide which technique you favour. Not all the information available this way is up to date or correct.

The problems of DIY training

The main problem is knowing what to do when things go wrong. If you are not careful you may make matters worse and in some cases owners are unaware that they are exacerbating the situation until a more serious problem arises.

Personal trainer?

Personal trainers are not just for problem pets. With some dogs it can be useful to have a few initial one-to-one sessions before joining the class especially if you have any concerns about your dog’s behaviour in the class. For example if you feel your dog may find the proximity of other dogs daunting, then already having mastered the basic exercises will make it easier for both of you to join a class.

In some cases personal trainers are essential. If you have a problem it is important that your dog is directed along the right path as soon as possible and in the correct environment so that previous bad habits can be eliminated. This needs experienced handling.

What are the disadvantages?

The main disadvantage of one-to-one training is the potential for your dog to get insufficient exposure to other dogs, and therefore to learn appropriate manners – canine etiquette. This may not be apparent until it is too late. Even if the trainer introduces their own dog into the lesson you may find that your dog bonds with this particular animal but does not accept all the other shapes and sizes of dog he encounters. Working on a one-to-one basis also limits the opportunity to learn to focus on the owner in the face of distraction and a class can be very valuable in teaching dogs to comply with verbal and visual cues in a dog rich environment. This can be helpful when the time comes to apply the training in the context of a dog walk or in other potentially distracting situations.

Kennels

Sending your dog away to kennels is perhaps the most expensive option. Although it appears convenient it is not without risk. Two of the biggest potential problems are that in dogs, learning is usually context specific, so your dog learns to respond correctly in the kennel environment, but not at home. Also, your dog may be very obedient with the trainer but not with you. This can be a particularly concern when behaviour problems are considered.

Sending your dog away to “get it fixed” is not to be recommended. On the other hand kennels may be a very good option for training new specific tasks if you want your dog to do a particular type of work e.g. specialized scent work.

It is important to evaluate your dog’s needs and not rush into the first class or trainer you see advertised. The training your dog receives is likely to have a big impact on how he views the world as well as on the enjoyment you get from your relationship with your pet.

If we can help, please do not hesitate to contact us.