Who Else Wants to Have a Dog that Wins the Hearts of All?

Hello Dog Owner,

The person that has a well-behaved and trained dog is the envy of everyone around. There is nothing like having a well trained dog! Imagine what it would be like to have your dog listen to you and respond to spoken or hand signal commands.

Anyone can have this kind of dog if they know how to train a dog properly. Luckily for you, there are so many resources available to the average dog owner that now you can easily learn the skills necessary to train your own dog or even someone else's dog!

There are two kinds of dog training schools: those that teach your dog and those that teach you how to train dogs.

Schools for your dog are higher in number, and there are also many dog training options that aren't even within a school. Many dog training classes are run in conjunction with a veterinary clinic, pet store, other pet related business, etc. and have independent trainers without a physical school or facility.

Schools for you, the person who wants to learn how to train dogs, are fewer. You also must be careful as not all trainers are created equal, so you need to do a lot of research about the potential schools you might be interested in. Some schools will proclaim you a certified trainer and highly proficient in correcting everything in just a matter of weeks! This is unrealistic and not true.

If you want a local dog training school for your own pooch, the best option to find one is:

The Association of Pet Dog Trainers: This is the largest organization for pet dog trainers in the United States and has members around the world. Their website allows you to do a trainer search for those located near you.

Local kennel clubs: Many local kennels club also serve as local dog training schools as a community service type effort. They don't normally have experience with behavior problems, but they can assist with obedience classes and performance training.

Ask your veterinarian and local pet businesses. These businesses and services are generally familiar with local training options and can often recommend you to someone near by they have experience with.

Attending a local class training your own dog is also how many, many professional dog trainers get started. You are more likely to have this as an available local option than an actual training school.

Dog agility is a fast growing and fun sport, and while it is a good idea to own some of the equipment and maintain it at your home, you'll also likely need to attend classes. This is particularly true if you've not ever trained in agility and are new to the sport.

Agility is partly about teaching the dog how to do the various obstacles and how to run a course, but a good portion of taking a class is also teaching you how to handle your dog on this course. Handling is tricky!

In order to find a dog agility school, you can visit the Association of Pet Dog Trainers website. Many of these trainers also hold agility or even 'fun-gility' classes. Depending on how serious you want to be, some classes are designed just for fun and to be an introduction to the sport. Classes made for competition and really understanding handling are best for people that intend to eventually compete.

Always be sure to ask about the experience of the teacher. For more competitive classes, this person should have experience not only training but also trialing.

Also be sure to do an internet search that includes agility training classes with your location. Many of the more competitive facilities aren't affiliated with a particular organization, but these are very often the most experienced agility people.

There is no true 'dog psychology school.' If you're interested in knowing more about dogs and what makes them tick, you need to get into animal behavior. There are a couple of routes to learn more about behavior:

1. Enroll at your local college. This might surprise many people, but the basics of behavior and learning are covered in college curriculum and can be a good starting point.

2. On-line schools: There are a few on-line training schools that will teach you more about animal behavior. The most well known one is likely the Animal Behavior College. Here you can enroll in classes designed to learn about just that: behavior.

In the dog training profession, certification is a loosely used term because there is no set standard for certification. There are no physical licenses required in order to hold a dog training class.

The most professional of the dog certifications is for the pet dog trainer. The classification of CPDT-KA is designated upon someone that has many hours of actual hands on dog training, has positive references from three sources, and successfully passes an extensive test. This certification is obtained through the CCPDT, Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers.

There are many resources available online that assist you in training your own dog. We live in a world of information, and tons of available videos on YouTube and other places certainly help with this. Working with a trainer in person is always the best way to go as a first course of action, but these materials can certainly help give additional ideas or perspectives.

In terms of online dog training schools or courses that help you learn how to train dogs, the Animal Behavior College is one of the better known places. Others do exist, and you should do thorough research before making a decision.

Even if you attend an online dog training school, the only way to make yourself 100% well rounded for the profession is to immerse yourself hands-on. Volunteer at the local shelter to train dogs to make them more adoptable. Local rescue groups would love assistance teaching dogs how to walk nicely on leash. Volunteer to be a puppy raiser or work with a service dog group. The more hands-on time you spend working with dogs, the better your skills will be.

Lastly, make sure to attend seminars, if you can. There are also webinars that you can attend. These are presented by well known trainers and the topics vary from things for the beginner to the more advanced trainer. If you join the Association of Pet Dog Trainers, you can attend the yearly conference that has tons of available seminars!

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Till then, have a happy doggy time

The Dog Lovers' Team
TrainPetDog.com