Dog training doctrines vary as much as dogs and trainers do. Almost every professional agree, however, a prominent part of training dogs comprises of training the dog trainers.

Whether those trainers are dog owners or professionals they need a lot of of the same attributes. Most domestic dogs are neither stupid nor intelligent in the same way humans are. But whatever their instinctive aptitude they need and benefit from consistency, repetition and a affected role style of guidance.

trainers need to have or develop an mental attitude of restraint, calmness and focus. Not everybody has, nor can adopt, the patience to accomplish a training regime that takes weeks to months or longer. Training is sometimes as short as an hour per day, frequently as long as all day, broken down into shorter segments. Adopting that effort is a job not all are equipped to master.

Dog trainers need to be patient, firm and fair not only with dogs but also with their owners.

Honest answers to legitimate questions multiplies the respect essential to successful training. A willingness to explain in clear, patient terms what training will involve and to set out the goals of training is vital.

Variations in breeds, individual temperament and owners themselves makes guaranteeing results impossible. But before training begins, dog trainers need to communicate answers to questions owners may not know enough even to ask. Reality is the only way to properly set expectations.

Dog trainers need to learn a significant amount about canine veterinary medicine. While they make no pretense to be vets, they need to recognize the external possible signs of hip dysplasia, bacterial infections, diabetes and other diseases and conditions. Training can only proceed with a healthy dog.

Dog trainers need to learn safety procedures, both for the sake of the dog and the trainer. Even friendly, well behaved dogs can become excited during play. Dogs are excited creatures and once their hormones begin to flare, they frequently take several minutes at best to calm down again.

During those periods of excitement, teeth are often bared and the dog is moving around unpredictably. It's easy for a trainers hand to get in the path, or for the dog to injure itself over a leash or training block.

All dog trainers have to acquire acute abilities of observation and communication.

Trainers arent just dog lovers. Although, they are almost always that. They are individuals who have acquired the ability to carefully observe dog behaviour, even subtle cues and clues. That observation has to be understood to the point that responding becomes automatic.

Domesticated dogs will often indicate when they are about to bolt, or to vomit grass, or demonstrate a slew of other behaviours. An expert dog trainer has a keen eye and the knowledge of how to use those observations to maximize the effectiveness of training a dog.

The Association of Pet Dog Trainers in the U.S. provides guidelines and training for would be dog trainers that help keep trainers and owners satisfied with the results.

Not all professional dog trainers are members, and not being a member doesn't mean a professional is unqualified.

Nevertheless, the organization is a good place to start to learn more about dog trainers and their methods. The APDT can be contacted by mail, phone, or at their website;apdt.com/