Dog Training Classes – Find The Right Dog Trainer
It is so important to find the right dog trainer if taking dog training classes. Not everyone is a so called expert. I have heard some horror stories, like this one for example, where the trainer was wrong.
“Today’s lesson will teach you how to give your dog the “Down” command.” He went on to say: “Now with your dog sitting by your side and with a little bit of slack on the leash, loudly say the word ‘Down’ and then step on the leash hard so that your dog is forced to the ground and knows exactly what the down command means. This will show your dog that you are in charge and capable of making it go down whether it likes it or not.”
Like mindless listeners, the entire class obeyed the lesson and literally crammed the heads of their dogs down into the ground by stepping on the leash. By the time the entire training session had ended, it seemed like every “down” command ended in shrieks and moans from every dog. There was mass hysteria while the toy dog breeds fought the leash and collar and the larger dogs just got confused, not understanding the forcefulness of the lesson.
Any dogs that rebelled against their owners and the leash in the attempt to force them down, were asked by the instructor to stay behind for some “special handling”. This special handling only turned out to be a much more aggressive counter-lesson with a rolled up fist and an aggressive action towards the dog.
Is This Worth Saving A Few Dollars?
The above scenario happens all too often. It seems that with a few months of reading and researching dog training manuals, almost anyone can become a dog training “expert”, regardless if the training principles they are teaching are wrong or not. Such negative dog training only destroys the responsiveness, initiative, willingness and motivation of any dog involved towards learning.
It just goes to show you that wherever there is money to be made in any type of field, especially dog training, you’ll always have your egomaniacs and fake “experts” rushing to fill the gap and make a quick buck.
“It may be a simple matter of economics”, as one pet store owner was saying. “Many dog owners come into the store and want to know how to properly train their pets. Although I sell dozens of instructional booklets, they want one-on-one teaching instruction. However, it’s quite expensive to hire a professional, so all they do is search the Internet, or their local newspaper ads to find a cheap dog training class, which is usually run by someone that does not know what they are doing and for the most part uses aggressive tactics.”
The point here is to let all of you dog owners know that it is much safer to work on your own training abilities by using qualified information, instead of hiring the wrong person to do the job. There are some organizations, such as “Secrets To Dog Training”, that are nationally recognized and professional trainers like Dove Cresswell with her “Dove Cresswell’s Puppy and Dog Training Program” to teach dog obedience and training classes for your dogs.
Your dog’s training is important. Use the right advice and you will have a well trained dog.
Dog Training Clubs and Classes
There are thousands of dog training clubs located all over the world, especially throughout the United States and Great Britain and new ones are continually being established. Owners attend one or two evenings each week and take part in elementary, intermediate, or senior grades. The classes usually begin at specific times, although dog owners often like to sit and watch their less experienced (or more advanced) colleagues go through their paces.
Beginners learn to teach their dog how to walk at “heel”, to “sit”, “come” and to “stay”. Seniors aspire to more ambitious exercises such as scent discrimination and dumbbell carrying, then go on to competitive obedience trials on weekends and perhaps finally, the honor of competing in annual obedience championship contests.
People of all ages attend dog training classes and for a variety of reasons; some consider their dog training evenings to be a pleasant night out for all the family. Without exception, everyone joins because they are proud of their dog and want to do their best for their pet and get the maximum pleasure from pet ownership.
Who Instructs?
You may wonder who instructs at these types of training clubs and where the instructors obtain their qualifications. Obviously, there are clubs whose instructors have worked up through the ranks, developing their own training skill while gaining experience at the club. However, more and more clubs are becoming affiliated to non-profit organizations, such as the National Dog Owner’s Association which was founded back in 1953.
Among its activities are the holding of annual residential holiday courses for pet owners and intensive obedience instructor’s courses, where candidates, with their dog, or dogs (often sponsored by their local dog training club), are given the chance to qualify in the various instructional grades.
The pet courses are helpful “fun” courses – a holiday in which the family dog learns its manners and the owner learns a lot about the dog’s welfare. To enroll for the instructor’s course is to let oneself in for a hard working week. You will learn how to train your dog in addition to learning how to train people to train their dogs.
