Choosing the Right Trainer for You and Your Dog.....
• Look for trainers who use only teaching methods that use positive reinforcement for good behavior rather than punishment for unacceptable behavior.
• Observe an obedience class without your dog. Watch to see if the dogs and people are having a good time. Talk with a few participants and ask if they are comfortable with the trainer's methods. If someone won't let you sit in, don't enroll.
• Don't feel you must do something that the trainer told you to do if you believe it is not in your dog's best interest. S/he's counting on you for safety and protection.
• Do not use trainers who offer guarantees about results. That trainer is either ignoring or doesn't understand the complexity of animal behavior.
• Avoid trainers who object to using food as a training reward. Food is an acceptable positive reinforcement training tool.
• Avoid trainers who won't let you use any training collar other than a choke chain or pinch collar. Head collars are humane alternatives to choke chains and pinch collars.
• Look for trainers who treat both people and dogs with respect, rather than one who presents him or herself as "I'm the boss."
• Have fun while training your pet! The rewards for you and your dog will last a lifetime
Thanks to the advise of Brenda Barnette, CEO of the Seattle Humane Society.