How to Recognise a Good Dog Trainer 2/3

What Is a Good Dog Trainer?

A good dog trainer is also a positive dog trainer.

What Is a Positive Dog Trainer?

“Positive dog training” isn’t a scientific term. Therefore it’s important to understand what positive dog training is all about.

A positive canine trainer uses positive reinforcement techniques combined with an understanding of canine behaviour.

A positive dog trainer is someone who avoids using fear, pain and/or punishment when training dogs. This means both in tools and dog training techniques.

What Makes a Good Positive Trainer?

You might be the most knowledgable dog trainer in the world, but if you don’t have good people skills, you won’t be very effective. I’ve met many trainers like this myself. I’ve been training my own dogs for the last 9 years focussing on competition level obedience, tracking and agility training. And unfortunately, very often the trainer can be really good at what they teach but really bad at actual teaching. 

A good trainer is a great listener and interested in your take on your dog’s characteristics, training history, strengths and weaknesses. Rather than immediately taking over the situation, dictating who is doing something wrong and what needs to change, good dog trainers start by listening to their client. They start by talking through expectations, concerns and training techniques before starting any actual training or behaviour modification work.

Positive dog trainers worth trusting with your dog’s well-being:

• Have good people skills.  A good dog trainer is a good communicator and listener. That makes them good at teaching you and your dog. A good dog trainer is easy to understand and able to pace their teaching style to whatever speed you need.

• Are great listeners.  This is crucial for your learning. You should be able to tell during your first contact with a trainer whether they are willing to take the time to hear what you have to say. If you’re not able to communicate effectively with your trainer, the process will be a lot more challenging from the start.

• Use positive methods to address negative behaviours.  Anyone can teach basic commands and tricks using positive reinforcement. But it takes a lot more skill, experience and confidence to modify unwanted behaviours.

• Ask for a full behavioural history of your dog.  Good dog trainers want to know everything possible about a dog’s history. This helps them to identify any possible causes for the behaviour and implement a positive training plan. Any trainer that ignores the importance of a dog’s experience history should be avoided.

• Want to train the entire family. Consistency is the most important thing and the key element to effective dog training. That’s why good trainers suggest everyone in the dog’s life to be present in the training sessions. It ensures that everyone who interacts with the dog will be using the same training techniques. Most importantly it will ensure a consistent learning experience for the dog.

• Include you in the training.  A good dog trainer will show you how to perform training methods and effectively communicate what they are doing. But one of their teaching goals is for you to step in and eventually take over the actual training.

You Are Your Dog’s Trainer

You are your dog’s primary trainer whether you like it or not. Your dog is constantly observing and learning. It doesn’t happen only when you’re actively training him or when a professional dog trainer is present. Every interaction you have with your dog is a learning experience for your dog. So dog training is really just about providing experiences and responding with some type of reward.