Dog training is a services industry. For dog training to work, there has to be harmony between the dog owner and the dog trainer. We are NOT the trainer for everyone, because not everyone approaches dog training with the same expectations. We publish a lot of information across various platforms to educate people on who we are and what we do. Our goal is to educate people so they can learn more about us before they decide to sign up for training. Owner and trainer have to be on the same page for the training to work.
So without further ado, here are five reasons we might NOT be the trainer for you:
1) You want instant results.
Sorry, but that’s not how we operate. Dogs are living, breathing creatures. We take our time to understand your dog, your household and your needs, so that we can create and execute the right training plan for long term success. If you want an overnight dog trainer, you’ll get what you pay for. If you only put an hour into the training, don’t expect it to last for years and years. Watch out for the trainers who “Guarantee results” in just one session. Rome wasn’t built in a day. Good training takes time.
2) You aren’t willing to invest.
Good training isn’t cheap. If you aren’t looking to invest your time and your money into your dog’s training, we aren’t the trainers for you. Each of our trainers has invested thousands of dollars into her own training and invested months and years into improving her skill set. On top of that, our trainers undergo regular upgrade training to ensure they’re the best of the best. Some trainers work with a few dogs and become overnight trainers. Other trainers shadow a trainer for a few days or they attend a few classes, and that’s “good enough” for that company to hire them. Our standards are much higher than that. We demand excellence of our trainers and only hire and train the best of the best.
In private lesson training, every minute is used wisely. We prepare our lesson plans in advance, and we give you the most bang for your buck. Same with group classes. We front-load information so we can use our time together wisely. And in the board and train, we literally invest hundreds of hours of time (read: blood, sweat and, yes sometimes tears) into training your dog. We work hard so you can enjoy the benefits of an obedient and well-trained dog. We work hard and invest our time, energy and effort to provide you with a top notch experience.
Want a cheap trainer? You’ll get what you pay for.
3) You want us to do all the work.
It doesn’t matter which of our programs you pick – private lessons, group classes, board and train – you’re not off the hook. In private lessons and group classes, we help you train your dog. It’s up to you to work with your dog between sessions. In board and train, we train your dog for you. And then you learn how to be a good handler for your trained dog. In all of our programs, consistency at home is key to success. If what we teach your dog in training isn’t maintained at home, the training will not last. It’s that simple.
4) You don’t want to use equipment.
While we don’t start training on day one with prong collars and e-collars, we do use them in our training process. After dogs have a solid foundation and know what to do, we use corrections to hold them accountable. If you’re not on board with using corrective collars, we aren’t the trainer for you. If your dog needs a corrective collar and you refuse to use one, you’ll never get the kind of results you could’ve gotten. And we aren’t mediocre-results-kind-of trainers. The prong collar is the best way to have solid obedience. The e-collar is the most reliable way to teach an off leash recall (Come). Without the follow-through on your part, your dog will not take you seriously or obey commands without a food or toy reward involved. Our training is fun and it’s fair, but it’s also firm. We teach dogs, then we hold them accountable. Equipment helps us reach our end goal.
5) You don’t want to change your habits.
If you’re not willing to approach your dog as his leader, and teach him what’s allowed and what’s not, then we can’t help you. We don’t live with your dog. We’re not his owner. It’s up to you to listen to us, ask questions if you need clarification, and then apply our advice. This isn’t our first rodeo. We’ve trained 100s, and in some of our trainers’ cases, 1000s of dogs. No client is exactly the same as another, but we’ve done this before and we know what you need to do and what your dog needs to be successful. Listen to us and let us help you. If that entails getting off the couch and exercising your dog, do it. If that means using a crate, use it. If that means working with your dog every day, don’t be lazy. We have a saying in our Company and it’s this: “You can’t care more than the client.” If you don’t care, and you’re full of excuses, we can’t help you. We can’t make you do anything.
We want to help you. We want your dog to be a good dog. We want to transform your dog into the obedient companion you’ve dreamed of. But if you’re not willing to invest time, money and effort into your dog, we aren’t for you. And if you don’t want to use the equipment your dog needs and change your habits to set your dog up for success, we can’t help you.
Good training requires you to invest your time and money. And, in some cases, you have to change your ways too. Are we the trainer for you?
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