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Making the Right Call: Selecting the Ideal Dog Trainer for Your Pet's Well-being

Writer's picture: Laura BoisvertLaura Boisvert

Did you just adopt a pup? After getting his comfy bed, harness, leash, food, and interactive toys, you’ll need to start thinking about building your community of professionals who can help him out throughout his life.


As a dog trainer, I meet a lot of dog parents who have trouble finding efficient dog trainers without breaking their wallets. It can be tough to trust a dog trainer you don’t know, with such an important mission that is helping your dog’s behaviour evolve positively, especially if you’ve heard about or had a bad experience with a past one.


Finding the right trainer can deeply impact your dog parent experience and help you stress-less when it comes to your canine family member. But how can you make sure the professional is right for you?


Dog trainers come in all varieties. Some are experts in canine sports, some in aggression and some specialized in puppyhood. Others of us are experts in teaching life skills and impulse control, loose leash walking or even helping anxiety issues. The key is to find the right professional for you and your pets. Here’s what to look for in a good dog trainer.



1. What’s their experience?

When searching for a dog trainer, it is important to look for someone with several years of experience in the field to avoid dealing with unorganized training plans. Additionally, prioritize trainers who follow positive reinforcement-based training methods, and want to increase your dog’s freedom, avoiding coercive techniques or the use of tools like prongs or electric collars. Finally, if your dog specifically suffers from issues, try finding a training that specializes in it. For example, if your dog has separation anxiety, seek out a trainer who has expertise in dealing with this issue (and is a certified separation anxiety trainer), as they will be better equipped to help your dog.


2. Do their values align with yours?

You can sniff out a dog person a mile away. Does enthusiasm for their profession ooze from their website? Do you see deep care for animals and their humans?


When searching for a dog trainer, it is essential to look for certain qualities that contribute to ensuring a positive and effective experience. Firstly, compassion plays a crucial role, as a trainer who genuinely cares about the well-being of dogs will create a nurturing and safe environment for them. A commitment to continuous education showcases dedication to staying informed about the latest research and techniques in dog training, allowing them to offer the most effective and up-to-date solutions.


Trust and integrity are fundamental, as they create a foundation of honesty, transparency, and ethical practices in all interactions. Finally, collaboration with clients, pet professionals, and the community fosters a supportive environment that enhances the overall well-being of dogs. A great dog trainer should also possess the necessary skills and demonstrate a genuine passion for their work, ensuring expertise and dedication in helping dogs and their guardians.


3. Are they within your budget?

It’s true, money matters! You want a great dog trainer who fits your budget. It all happened to us to have a reality check when it was time to pay for the vet bill of our favourite canine (which btw isn’t your animal health team’s fault!). That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t plan and save accordingly to make sure our dogs receive the care they need.


The same thing can happen with your dog trainer. Adjusting your dog’s budget, including the cost of behaviour training sessions, can be tremendously helpful. Waiting until the issue gets worse can result in having to get more sessions with a trainer. For most issues, the longer the dog is rehearsing them, the more time it’ll take to change that habit. Having a little budget for dog training can help prevent the degradation of behaviours issues in your dog.


With dog training sessions, there’s also the option of in-home sessions or online sessions that are a little more budget-friendly. You can also look for a dog training company that lets you pay in instalments. You must also know that generally, training packages will give you a better discount. And don’t forget that most dog training companies have a discount for shelter dogs!!


We work with dog parents that wish for their dog’s behaviour to evolve positively. If that sounds like you, we'd love to hop on a quick call and see how we can help! You can call us at 438 873 1226 or send us an email at info@bontecanine.com


1 commentaire


Invité
11 juil. 2023

Having a reactive dog with anxiety, Laura gave me the confidence and knowledge on how to practice with my dog on her leash walking. Laura takes the time to listen to my concerns and answers all of my questions, she is a kind, patient and gentle trainer with a lot of knowledge and experience! Having learnt that there is no"quick fix"for behavioural issues, I am happy to know that I can rely on Laura for any additional support when needed! Tamara

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