How does one hire a dog trainer??? I have a nervous rescue dog who has made amazing progress but has started to show signs of aggression towards other dogs, and is very uncomfortable with other people. I understand she may never get over these issues entirely, but I know some professional help would certainly benefit both of us. How do you recommend vetting a trainer, especially when your dog has unique challenges to address beyond simple manners?
This is a super good question. The answer is basically: do your research, interview thoroughly, read your dog, and trust your gut.
Start by figuring out what criteria you want in a trainer. I always start with looking for training thatâs based in positive reinforcement (R+ or reward-based training). You want to prioritize trainers who indicate they use R+ as much as is physically possible. If a trainerâs site talks about using positive punishment, being your dogâs alpha, alpha rolling, or any other major buzzword about dominance, move on. Very carefully and thoroughly vet anyone who calls themselves a balanced trainer: there /can/ be good trainers using that wording, but too often it can be code for a combination of punishment and cookies. Especially with a dog starting to have aggression / reactivity issues, you want to avoid any training that could exacerbate it. Iâm always a little personally skeptical about people who talk about weaning dogs off of rewards as a good thing: in my view dogs should always get a paycheck for work. Sometimes they just mean phasing in other reinforcers or changing a rate of reinforcement, but avoid anything to do with how your dog shouldnât âbe dependent on cookiesâ or should work out of loyalty. I also like to look for trainers who follow LIMA protocol (least invasive minimally aversive) because it tells you they structure their training to take into consideration the dogâs perspective and priorities as much as possible in order to make it a positive experience, even if that means sacrificing convenice or speed on the human end of the leash.
Training certifications and credentials can tell you different things. For instance, the Associate of Pet Dog Trainers is a professional Association, so having a member logo doesnât indicate anything about how they practice. Certifications like CPDT-KA (certified pet dog trainer knowledge assessed) tell you that theyâve not only joined a professional group but passed an exam based on knowledge and skill. The IAABC (international association of pet behavior consultants) also has membership and certification options. Do some research into the different groups so youâre familiar with the alphabet soup, and once you find certifications or credentials you want in a trainer, check the groupâs membership listing.
Because youâre dealing with a more serious issue, read through any potential trainerâs website, social media, and yelp / google reviews page really well. Websites are carefully curated, but social media - especially posts or tags from clients - can be very honest. Reviews are hit or miss, because people only leave them when theyâre mad or really happy, but give you a sense of extremes. Anything that makes you a little put off but youâre not sure if is a bad thing, make a note of.
For a dog starting to have aggression issues, you want a trainer with a background in aggression and dog reactivity cases. If that isnât listed as something they address on their website, move on: you donât want to call someone who doesnât have the experience to handle it appropriately but might not want to say no to a potential new client. You can also ask your local vet offices or shelters for recommendations and what their experiences with trainers are, but make sure to not use that as your only data point.
Once youâve picked the ones you most like, call them and talk to them. Be super honest: here is whatâs up with your dog, youâre interested in training, when would they have time to talk with you about their methods and the broad strokes of how theyâd handle the issue. Since theyâre busy people, they might not necessarily be able to talk right when you call. If they try to avoid talking to you about their philosophy of training entirely, nope, move on. Now, no trainer is going to just tell you how to fix your dog over the phone or spend an unpaid hour getting into a protocol for a dog theyâve never assessed in person - but itâs 110% reasonable to want to spend a few minutes learning about their training philosophy and asking for more info on how they deal the general type of problem youâd be hiring them for. Itâs a good time to ask about anything you saw online that you werenât sure about, and if thereâs any red flags about dominance or positive punishment or other things you donât like in their philosophy, you know theyâre off your list. This process will likely be a little different if youâre talking to a multi-trainer business rather than an independent one, but you should be able to still get the basic info. Be prepared for this call: have a list of questions and be concise to respect their time, and donât expect them to tell you how to actually do the thing on that call.
Once youâve found someone you think you like, set up a first session. This is as much an interview for them as it is for you: theyâre sussing out your dogâs behavior and your relationship with it, and youâre deciding if you find them trustworthy and like how they interact with your dog. How your dog feels is also important! If they donât like the trainer - and especially if the trainer is pushing their boundaries or not listening to and respecting their body language - that tells you what you need to know. Itâs normal with dogs that donât like a ton of people to be a little standoffish or nervous with a new trainer, but you should see them slowly relax and at least show interest in a first session, and not actively dislike / guard you from / snap at the trainer. If you and your dog like them and how theyâre working with your dog appears to match your research of whatâs appropriate, great, you have a trainer! If not, interview and do first sessions with more people until you find someone.
Hereâs the important thing: if at any point you feel uncomfortable with how a trainer is working with your dog, whether itâs the first session or the fifth or twentieth, say something. Right then. Say âwhat youâre doing makes me uncomfortable please stop and explainâ or âIâve noticed Fido is looking really unhappy right now, letâs take a break so you can explain why this is necessaryâ. You certainly donât have to keep doing more sessions with a trainer if you or your dog doesnât like them. If they do something egregious in a session. or youâre just sketched out, you can absolutely ask them to end the session early - but only if you intend to never hire them again. Thatâs your nuclear option: theyâll get upset, sure, but if itâs so bad you need to protect your dog by doing it, be that asshole. (Unless they actively abused your dog, you should still probably pay them for the session but honestly even as a trainer myself I donât know how I would handle that sort of end of client relationship so I canât confidently advise). Anything that bad should be a super duper rare occurrence and thatâs why you vet people so thoroughly first, but I wanted to emphasize you can totally end your relationship with a trainer if you feel itâs necessary or if you just donât jive, and make sure people had a script for how to address any issues just in case.
My last note is that youâve gotta remember a trainer is not going to fix your dog with intermittent sessions. Theyâll teach you and the dog some skills and give you stuff to work on, but at the end of the day, no trainer is magical enough to compensate for your lack of followthroigh. Consistent work on your end is what will improve your dogâs behavior and quality of life.
Good luck with your search. Itâs a great idea to be looking for someone before the problem behaviors develop further.
