Tips for picking a trainer

It can feel like a bit of a minefield when it comes to choosing someone to help you train your dog. A quick Google search will pull up a page saying ' you MUST do this' and the next page down will have the same advice with the label 'you must NEVER do this'. 

I think the best bit of advice I can offer is to ask to see the trainers dog.

The trainers dog is their portfolio. They are a testament to what the trainer can do. 

If their dog is all over the shop and has no interest in the trainer, or is the other end of the spectrum with their tail tucked and scared of the trainer, that should tell you everything you need to know! 

In every initial assessment I will always get my wonderful assistant, Dougal, out to show you how we work. This literally takes 5 minutes, but I could argue a pretty good point that it's the most important 5 minutes of the session.

And what should you be thinking when looking at the trainers dog - Do you like the dogs attitude? Do you like the dog/handler relationship? Do you think they have a good time together? If the answer to any of those is a no, you should look at it as a bit of a red flag, as that is the dog they spend the most time with!! 

The second bit of advice I would offer is to make sure you actually like the person

It might sound a bit silly, but the reality is you will probably be seeing each other once a week or so for a while, messaging often, the occasional voice note, so on and so forth. If the trainer gets on your nerves, or you don't really like the way that they teach and explain things you should probably look for someone else. And that's okay!! We aren't made to like everyone, and a good trainer should understand that and not hold it against you should you decide to go elsewhere. 

Both the points above are why all of my services will start with an initial assessment. So you can meet me and Dougal, as well as me meeting you and your dog!! It gives us a chance to get to know one another, and the challenges we may be up against and work out whether it's a good fit or not. 

I hope that gives a little guidance, it's only a couple of tips but I think both are pretty crucial! 

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