I was very disappointed in today's Marfa Public Radio KRTS
93.5 FM interview with snake avoidance trainers from "Natural Solutions" (snakeaversiontraining.com) in
California. Although the topic was
dog training, the major focus of the interview was the muzzled live rattlesnakes in the studio. If there was a dog in the studio, I couldn't tell. But here's a kicker. When asked how to contact the trainers for their training in Alpine tomorrow, listeners were told to call the trainer'' mom! This is rarely if ever a good sign when shopping for a dog trainer! Before dog owners hand over their dog to anyone for training, they should consider the following criteria from the old American Dog Trainers Network website, www.inch.com/~dogs/ reprinted below:
An excellent reputation. Shop around and get recommendations
from your vet, the ASPCA, or other city humane societies, other reputable
trainers, or your breeder/breed club.
Widespread experience.
Inquire about his or her training background, years of experience, and
areas of expertise. You deserve to have your questions answered, so don't be
timid about asking them.
Humane training methodology and gentle, effective handling
skills. Reputable trainers are concerned about their dogs' welfare. They also
know that harsh or abusive handling methods are not only unnecessary, but are
often counter-productive as well.
Electronic collars may or may not be inhumane and like any other
collar, can be misused.
A genuine love of and devotion to dogs. When you find a
trainer with this important quality you'll know it. The joy of living and
working with dogs makes this person shine.
Extensive behavioral knowledge. Dedicated trainers keep
themselves up-to-date by attending dog training and animal behavior courses,
conferences, seminars and workshops whenever possible.
Affiliations with reputable associations, organizations and
training clubs. While this is not mandatory, it's certainly a plus.
Ethics before profit. Is monetary profit his or her primary
motive for training dogs? Is everything this trainer does geared towards making
money? While financial success is great, ethics must come first.
A NOTE OF WARNING: Unless a dog trainer comes highly
recommended to you by *at least* one reputable source, the bottom line for the
consumer is BUYER BEWARE!
Remember, absolutely anyone can call himself a dog trainer
or behaviorist. Slick ads with inflated claims, grandiose self-descriptions,
and impressive sounding titles can be very deceptive. Investigate any stated
affiliations a trainer lists on his or her brochure, Yellow Pages ad or web
site. If a trainer claims to be affiliated with an organization (past or
present) or claims to have "studied" with well-known dog trainers or
behaviorists, ask for their telephone numbers and contact them to be sure. A
common ploy for some trainers, is to attend a couple one-or two-day seminars or
workshops with a well-known dog expert (or University), then claim to have
studied with that person (or at that institution). Also, verify how many years the trainer you are considering
has been training dogs professionally. While years alone are not enough to
determine a trainer's depth of knowledge and experience, it's certainly says a
lot.
A FINAL NOTE: Beware of dog trainers who care more about
publicity, public relations, and celebrities, than they care about your dog and
the quality of training they provide. Many professional dog trainers have
worked with celebrities and high-profile people. But take note if the trainer
seems totally pre-occupied with dropping names, and bills himself as the
"Trainer To The Stars", something that says little or nothing about
his ability as a dog trainer.
