Every individual has his or her motivation for getting a dog. Some people just want to have a dog as a friend, while there are some that are on the hunt for a running buddy.
Irrespective of the reason for getting a dog, everyone is ultimately looking for the same result: something to love and love them back. As such, it is extremely important to train and educate your dog the way you want. To get your dog trained by professionals, you need to search for the “best dog trainers near me.”
Dog training is not only for your favorite little friend; you also get to benefit from it. Dog training offers dog owners peace of mind. Knowing a dog is trained and equipped is the happiness of many dog owners. Dog training also enhances the bond and relationship between you and your dog, and a dog trainer can help you achieve this.
This is why it is very important to hire the best dog trainers near you.
When you hire the best dog trainers, not only will your dog be better behaved, your dog will also have more fun during the training period. Many have tried to train their dogs on their own. While your dog might learn a thing or two from you, your dog might still be lacking behind because you are not professionally trained and certified to train a dog.
Dog trainers are trained for this process, and they have the patience and time to teach your dog all it needs to know. Your dog will also learn very fast when trained by a professional dog trainer. So hiring the best dog trainers near you is the key to having a well-trained dog and to increase the bond between you and your dog.
Signs Your Dog Needs to be Trained by the Dog Trainers
Taking an untrained dog out to the crowd can sometimes be very annoying and embarrassing. It is not an experience any dog owner wants to have. Most untrained dogs are disobedient.
Disobedient dogs are dangerous, irrespective of their size. Hiring the best dog trainers near you to teach your dog obedience could greatly reduce the risk of more dangerous behavior.
Most dog owners usually know when they have a disobedient dog or a dog that needs to be trained professionally. However, if you have any doubt in your mind, there are certain signs that should get you convinced when you see them. Listed below are some of the signs to show that your dog needs the help of a professional dog trainer.
Being Aggressive to People and Other Pets
This might be a no-brainer, but it is one of the major red flags that a lot of dog owners don’t take seriously. Aggressions is one of the top signals that a dog needs obedience training. Pet aggression can be expressed in so many ways. Your dog can be aggressive to humans and also to other pets. It can also be aggressive to you, the owner.
If your dog tries to attack other pets or people as they growl or walk by, it’s a sign of aggression. Another warning sign is when your dog is showing food aggression, especially towards little children. So when you start seeing signs of aggression in your dog, it is recommended you consult the best dog trainers near you.
Chasing Its Tail Nonstop
This might sound adorable, but when a dog chases its tail nonstop, it’s a sign of a pent-up issue that requires some attention. According to a behavioral specialist, some dog owners believe this is amazing and they usually encourage the behavior to keep themselves entertained.
This behavior is usually a result of boredom. But it grows from that to become a habit in a dog that’s under-stimulated. So when you see your dog chasing its tail incessantly, it a sign that your dog needs obedience training, and you should hire the best dog trainers near you for that job.
Barking Unnecessarily
Barking is a natural character portrayed by dogs. But barking can be pretty annoying when it is no longer normal. According to David Wright of iWorkdogs, unnecessary barking is a sign of an underlying behavioral issue. Your dogs need the best dog trainers near you when it starts barking and lunging at people, or other moving objects or pets.
Ignoring Your Calls
Dogs are more friendly and fun to be with when they are obedient. When you call your dog and it doesn’t respond or it ignores you, it means your dog needs obedience training. Almost every dog that has passed through an obedience class actually come when they are called.
A dog that doesn’t respond the first time when you call it by its name could greatly benefit from formal training, says David Wright. To give your dog the adequate training that it needs, you need to hire the best dog trainer near you. A dog trainer can teach your dog absolute obedience and make it respond to your calls at all times.
Jumping on People
This is one thing only dog owners usually love. While dog owners love this, the most visitor won’t say the same. Almost no one appreciates it when a dog jumps on them when they enter your house, whether the dog is small or big. If you have a dog that cannot greet anyone without putting its paws or jumping on them, then it needs professional training.
It is normal for dogs to welcome visitors, but it is not normal when they can’t do it without jumping on them. This can make some of your family or friends to stop visiting, especially the ones that are scared of dogs naturally. But when you get the best dog trainer to train your dog, it would learn to behave itself whenever visitors are around.
Pulling on Your Leash
Letting your dog pull you or pulling it around the park is one best part of owning a dog. While this is fun and exciting, it can sometimes be abnormal. If your dog is running and pulling on your leash in different directions on walks, it is bad behavior, says Dr. Chen.
Wright also said that it is a behavioral warning sign when you can’t walk your dog if you don’t wrap the leash around your hand.
When the situation gets to this stage, you need to consult the best dog trainers to put your dog in order. Your dog would really benefit from an obedience training class at this stage.
Things to Know and Do When Looking for The Best Dog Trainers Near You
Make Sure Your Dog Is in Good Shape
Before you set out to look for a dog trainer, the very first thing you need to do is to make sure that your dog is healthy and sound. You need to ensure that your dog is up-to-date on its vaccinations. This is very important because you definitely don’t want to expose your dog or other dogs to potential injury or illness.
Begin the Search at the Right Time
The best time for seeking out training for your dog is when it is young – the younger the better. However, typical dog training usually starts when a dog is a least six months old. While this is true, there are still some “puppy training” classes that your very young puppy can enroll in.
You don’t have to wait until your dog gets to six months old before you hire a dog trainer. You should enroll your dog in puppy training classes from eight to sixteen weeks of age. You can search for “best dog trainers near me that train little puppies” to find the best dog trainer near you.
The Behavioural Problem of Your Dog Can’t Be Fixed in One Day
Correcting a dog’s behavioral issue is not something that can be done in one hour or even a day. You might see a lot of ads on the TV telling you how these issues can be resolved in a short amount of time. This is not as easy as it sounds.
Changing the behavior of a dog usually takes time. The best dog trainer will not cut corners. They will take their time and work on your dog to achieve the best results. So as a dog owner, you should not expect miracle immediately, this thing takes time.
Be Ready to Do Most of the Work
Some aspects of dog training will actually come from you. Dog training begins with you and it will continue with you. A dog trainer will only train your dog for a certain period of time. After which, you will be the one to continue from where the trainer stops.
The dog trainer would help establish a better relationship between you and your dog. You will also be taught how to make your dog continue its good behavior.
However, the best dog trainers will be by your side for the long haul. They will work with you for a long time until you are satisfied with their job. Knowing that behaviors can take a while to change, they are ready to work with you endlessly.
Tips for Choosing the Best Dog Trainers Near You
A lot of dog owners know the importance of training their dog. They have probably seen the needs for training their dog, however, they don’t know how to pick the best dog trainers for their dog. They don’t know how to go about the process as well as the things they need to look out for.
Listed below are some vital tips to help you choose the best dog trainers near you.
Ask for Certification
This is one of the most important things you should ask for when you want to hire a dog trainer. You need to ask if the trainer has any kind of formal certification. There are lots of trainers out that have been awarded certificates for completing paid classes.
To be on the safer side, search for a dog trainer near you that has met the requirements of the IACP (International Association of Canine Professionals), CCPDT (Certification Council for Pet Dog Trainers, or IAABC (International Association of Animal Behaviour Consultants.
If the dog trainer has any of those certifications, it means that the trainer has gone through adequate training and you can develop a level of trust for him or her.
Ask for Recommendations
There are lots of dog trainers out there. Even right on your street, you might see a series of them. Hence, you want to be very careful when searching for the best dog trainers near you in order to avoid falling into the hands of a less qualified trainer. Another great way of finding the best dog trainers near you is by getting referrals.
Start with people around you, your family or friends that own a dog and have used the services of a dog trainer. You can also ask for referrals from your veterinarians or any other dog lover around you.
Another thing you should do is to tell the trainer to refer you to some of its previous clients. Ask the trainer to give you the contact of three of four of their previous clients. Call the clients and ask them a few questions. Ask them if they were satisfied with the service of the trainer. Also, find out the response of their dogs after the training and if they are OK with the training their dog received.
Visit a Couple of Trainers
You should not just settle for the first dog trainer that comes your way. It is recommended that you visit a couple of dog trainers. Visit different training classes. See how they conduct their training classes and how dogs respond to them.
You should also ask them about their methodology as well as price quotes. This would help you to know the best dog trainers near you and make your choice wisely. Making the right choice is very important, as it could make or break the entire experience.
Follow Your Instincts
Look for every possible red flag you could before making your final verdict. When you can’t find any, the next thing to do is to follow your instinct. Even when there are no red flags, if you are not comfortable with the trainers, it is recommended that you move to the next one. Do not choose a trainer that you don’t feel right about.
Choosing a dog trainer is very easy, however, you have to be very careful when doing so. You need to put a lot of things into consideration. You need to consider your options and make sure you make the right decision.