After I adopted my first puppy, I didn't train him very well. I was too afraid of him getting "mad at me" to scold him when he did naughty puppy things, like chewing up my shoes. I thought he would grow out of some of his bad habits, but it didn't seem like he was. I asked another dog owner at the dog park for advice, and he told me that dogs really enjoy being trained, and proper training actually makes them happier. After that conversation, I started taking my dog to a local training center and he seemed to really love being there! He soon stopped his bad habits and even learned fun tricks. I want to share my dog training tips with anyone out there who needs them and help everyone learn that a well-trained pet is a happy pet!
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A Well-trained Pet Is a Happy Pet
Questions To Ask A Prospective Puppy Trainer Before You Commit To Working With Them
Cameron Thompson
As a new puppy owner, you have the responsibility of making sure that the dog is well trained so they can get along well within your household and can be easily handled in social situations. If your puppy isn't trained while they are still young, you may face obedience problems as time goes on. So choosing a puppy trainer to work with early should be a priority. Here are a couple important questions to ask prospective puppy trainers before you commit to working with one:
What Kinds of Training Do You Specialize In?
There are many different types of puppy training that are available, so it's important to understand exactly what prospective trainers can teach your new pup before deciding who to hire. Any puppy trainer you decide to work with should be fully proficient in obedience training.
Obedience training is the first type of training your puppy should participate in because it will teach the dog to obey commands you give them such as sit and stay. Without basic obedience in place, you and your family might find it hard to control your puppy as it ages. In addition to obedience training, prospective puppy trainers may specialize in one or more of the following types of training:
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Behavioral Training – You'll use this type of training to correct problems like excessive chewing or barking.
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Agility Training – Enroll your puppy in this type of training class to prepare them for sports like obstacle course running and racing.
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Vocational Training – This type of training will help turn your puppy into a hunter, herder, or even rescue worker.
After deciding what type of training you want to enroll your puppy in both now or in the future, you can determine which puppy trainer will best meet your needs based on their experience and training specialties.
Can You Address Problems in My Home?
If your puppy displays behavioral problems at home as they age, you may need your trainer to come to your home and address those problems onsite. So it's important to make sure that the puppy trainer you decide to hire is willing to make house calls when you request them. And find out how the process works.
How far in advance do you have to make house call appointments? Is there an extra cost for house calls, and if so, what is the fee? How often can you make house calls in a given month? What should be done at home to prepare for a house call? Even if you don't think house calls are necessary now, you'll appreciate already understanding how the process works if you do need to request an appointment at some point in the future.
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