Whether trainingat home is not working out as well as you had expected or you just prefer professional training for your dog, you really need to take some time to make sure you choose a good dog trainer.  There are many dog training methodologies, some of which will not be compatible with how you choose to care for your dogs.  While most successful dog trainers use humane, science-based training methods, this is not always the case.  So, do your research and pick a trainer that will be effective using a positive training philosophy.

1.       Choose a trainer with real world dog experience.  Not all trainers have been in the business for very long so you’ll want to make sure your dog trainer has the necessary experience to effectively train your dog.  This is not to say that a novice trainer won’t be able to train your dog, but most dog owners want to get some references or recommendations from other customers.  Still, it’s more important that you choose a trainer with quality experience.

2.       Decide whether you prefer group classes or private training.  Obviously group classes are going to be less expensive but if your dog has had problems with aggression or is not very friendly with other dogs, private classes might be a better way to start.  Even if your dog is happy and social, private classes are considerably more effective.

3.       Don’t let price be the deciding factor.  Obviously the most experienced dog trainers are going to be the most expensive, especially if they have a good reputation.  Nevertheless, the price for training sessions should not be your deciding factor.  Narrow your results to a few trainers in your price range and then make your decision based on recommendations and experience.  Some dog trainers will even charge based on results rather than time.  In this case, you pay based on what your dog actually learns and if more sessions are required, they should be free of charge.

Ultimately, you want to choose a dog trainer that uses humane and proven training methods so that you know your dog will be treated respectfully but will also learn new behaviors.  Furthermore, if you develop some concerns about your trainers techniques, it’s never too late to ask for a refund.

Whether you’ve just gotten a new puppy or you’re caring for an older dog that has not been house trained, you probably know the importance of house training.  Obviously it is inappropriate to allow your dog to urinate or defecate in the house, but knowing how to teach them the appropriate behavior is another issue altogether.  Fortunately, housebreaking your dog doesn’t need to be difficult.  With positive, consistent training, your dog will be housebroken in no time.

One of the first things to remember when training your dog to do anything is that reinforcement works better than punishment.  A lot of dog owners are confused about how to rely on praise and reward rather than punishments because it doesn’t seem logical.  However, by praising your dog and rewarding good behaviors, you are much more likely to see immediate and lasting results.  This means you need to praise your dog whenever they urinate or defecate outdoors.

Another important factor to realize is that dogs sometimes urinate submissively.  In other words, when you scold your dog, he may pee as a sign of respect.  Dogs are pack animals with distinct ranks in their pack.  Your family is essentially your dog’s pack and he likely knows that he’s at the bottom of the totem pole.  Often, when dogs meet superior pack members they will squat and urinate, likewise when the pack members meet them with aggression.  So, if your dog urinates when scolded, he’s not really breaking housetraining, rather showing that he understands his position in the pack.

Finally, during any training plan it is imperative that you remain consistent.  Give your dog ample opportunity to toilet outside, and lead him outside when he demonstrates those behaviors that indicate he needs to toilet.  With consistent praise and patience, you’ll have a happily house trained dog.

Whether you’re training a new puppy or you’re having behavioral problems with an older dog, here are a few tips that will help you get the most out of your training sessions.

• Make Training Enjoyable. You and your dog should be enjoying training time.  Making training a positive experience will enhance the lessons that you’re giving and also ensure that you don’t get bored in the process.
• Keep Training Sessions Short. For the most part, you should try to keep training sessions to 5 or 10 minutes so that you and your dog can maintain focus.  Also, dogs will be more motivated during shorter training sessions.
• Reinforcement is the Most Effective. Many dog owners make the mistake of punishing dogs for poor behavior.  In fact, rewards or other forms of reinforcement are much more effective for modifying behavior than punishment.
• Keep Tasks Simple. Dogs lose motivation as tasks become more difficult so keep your training simple and always try to teach the basic commands like sit, heal, come, and stay.  Similarly, keep commands simple so they’re easier for your dog to understand.  Most dogs will have a lot of difficulty associating complex commands with tasks or even simple commands with complex tasks so simplicity is always the best policy.
• Use Powerful Rewards. Dogs respond most easily to food and praise so these should be your regular rewards.  Treats are obviously the most effective so they make the best rewards at first.  You can gradually introduce praise as a substitute for treats as the training sessions progress.  Also, when you use food as a reward it is much more effective before your dog has a meal rather than after.  Praise should be delivered in high, melodic tones as these are more pleasing for your dog.
• Always End Training on a Positive. Never end a training session with a failed response from your dog.  For example, if you are teaching your dog to sit, don’t quit the training session because you’re frustrated.  Instead, you should be patient and end the session by rewarding your dog for success.

Most importantly, remember that training takes time but that all dogs will succeed if you are patient and understanding.