# What makes or breaks your decision when your looking for a trainer?



## Gsd.chris (Jan 30, 2019)

I started a small dog training business, right now it’s just a couple puppies and my first customer recommended me to my second customer and now I don’t have any more haha

my prices Are pretty cheap because I’m probably younger then most dog trainers I’d assume and so my customers are around my age. But I’m wanting to get involved with more people just not sure how I’d go about doing that ?


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## LuvShepherds (May 27, 2012)

I found my current trainer through a dog daycare. He offered to teach a few small group classes for them and then it spread through word of mouth. I don’t use the daycare but a friend does And gave me his name. He also worked for a while with an established trainer and built a client list that way. The best way to build a training business is to be very good at training.


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## davewis (Jan 7, 2020)

A couple of things that I looked for:
1. A cohesive philosophy on the relationship between humans and their dogs. Some trainers I met seemed to focus on teaching a few behaviors. While the sit, down, stay, and come are nice, it is the overall relationship between dog and owner that matters.
2. Clear, consistent, and fair to both the dog and their owners. To be honest, a couple of trainers I met seemed more like used car salesmen than educators.
3. Client dog referrals. I looked to see what other dogs, the trainer had worked with and how those dogs and their owners live together.
4. Experience. Dog training and teaching humans to handle their dogs is hands-on. I like to see a history of working with many dogs.
5. The trainers own dog. This might seem odd, but the most important thing I look at is the trainer's own dogs. Does the trainer's dog exemplify the philosophy and type of dog/handler relationship they are trying to teach?

Find your niche. I was looking for a pet dog trainer who 1) produced solid companion dogs 2) was experienced working with powerful and opinionated breeds 3) was experienced with reactive dogs.

FWIW I ended up going with a group of in-person and online/dvd trainers.
1. Stonnie Dennis. I like his overall philosophy. I am less interested in a dog with an impeccable heel then I am with a dog who can explore the world with me... while handling it with grace and dignity.
2. Tyler Muto. I like how he handles reactive dogs. I do what I can to adopt his reactive dog theory and techniques to my skill level and resources.
3. Micheal Ellis. I like his overall knowledge and ability to communicate that knowledge. I guess I am just a fan-boy.

4. Local trainer. In addition to the above, I found a local trainer who adds value to my training by providing feedback on my mechanics, setting goals, and helping me learn to read my dog.

Practice, Practice, Practice. See if you can apprentice for a local trainer or see if a local shelter will let you work with their dogs in basic behavior and obedience to prepare them for being adopted.

You say you are young, I am not sure what that means since I am 50 

If I were trying to break into the business, I would start by volunteering to walk dogs at my local shelter. Set aside as much time as you can per week to walk the dogs. Set a fixed schedule if possible. Then just show up and teach the dog to walk nicely on a leash. If all goes well, you will make a name for yourself as someone who cares about dogs and can magically make even the rowdiest dog walk nicely. To the training community, it might seem trivial... to the pet ower community it is invaluable.

Over time, walking can grow into training. You might run a mini-boot camp for animals that come to that shelter. The shelter will love you. Better walking and better behavior mean more adoptable animals.

As things progress, you can shift your time from volunteering with shelter dogs to working with paying clients. 

As a brief aside, if you are still in high school, volunteering can pay dividends. In middle school, one of my nieces showed an interest in animals. I got her involved in a local 'critter care' program. Over the next eight years, her interest and experience grew. She earned a $10,000 per year scholarship for environmentalism at college.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

1. Experience and accomplishments. I want to see tangible evidence of accomplishments.
2. How did you learn to train dogs and how are you keeping up on the lastest methods (even the world champions take lessons from other people)
---did the trainer apprentice under experienced trainers? Or did they take a two week course in Ohio, train one dog and now think they are a dog trainer? 
3. Balance. Are they all positive? Or all compulsion?
4. Money is last on my list. A good trainer is worth paying more and going less often if need be. No training is better than bad training.


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## LuvShepherds (May 27, 2012)

I was having some adolescent male problems with my dog and I also wanted to get my him into sports, so I chose a trainer with previous military handling who worked exclusively with WL GSDs or Mals before going into training. He handled both scent dogs and apprehension dogs. I think they worked two dogs rather than dual purpose, so his experience was broad. It was very important to find someone who understood both my breed and line and liked my dog. I went through 6 trainers before I found him. Some were Ok, some were bad, but none were stellar until I found him.

My previous answer was not about problem dogs because I don’t think that is what he was asking. I’m guessing as a new trainer he mostly works with house manners and obedience, not aggression or advanced sports or techniques. He’s also not going to be experienced until he gets some more time working with dogs.


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## Squidwardp (Oct 15, 2019)

To the above posts, I'd add:

(1) Location is key. For a lot of people, if they have to drive more than 30-35 minutes, that becomes a special occasion. And special occasions get tossed when they cut into always scarce time.
I need groceries far more than I need dog training, but I won't drive two hours for them. If you were at the peak of your career, then yeah, people might beat a path to your door even if it's inconvenient. But until that time comes, probably helps to be within an easy drive of your intended customer base. Board-and-trains might be a different story, but that would require infrastructure and expense that a young person starting out may not have? 
(2) Know your breeds. Don't try to turn a GSD into a Labrador, or vice versa. 
(3) Recognizing that not all dog owners love dog parks, they are popular in many communities. Assuming you are OK with the dog park concept, maybe take some of your own dogs there and show off the benefits of your training. Perhaps this would address your last sentence above--how to meet a wider potential clientele. If you don't have your own dogs, then I'd be wary of taking clients' dogs to a dog park . . .


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## IllinoisNative (Feb 2, 2010)

1) Breed experience. They have to know how to deal with protective breeds. 
2) Recommendations from GSD savvy people I trust. 
3) Accomplishments. 
4) Balanced trainers. 
5) Location/distance to get there. 
6) Money. I agree with Jax that no training is better than bad training.


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## tim_s_adams (Aug 9, 2017)

I'm curious Gsd.chris, do you have a dog? How did you learn to train? How many dogs or puppies have you trained? What breeds?

And finally, what have you tried so far to drum up more business?


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## Gsd.chris (Jan 30, 2019)

tim_s_adams said:


> I'm curious Gsd.chris, do you have a dog? How did you learn to train? How many dogs or puppies have you trained? What breeds?
> 
> And finally, what have you tried so far to drum up more business?


Yes I have a gsd and boxer mix.. when I got my gsd we didn’t train her til she was like 2 and by that time had alot problems so I took her to trainer that my friend recommended and over time he kinda took me under his wing for about a year and half and that was like 6 or 7 years ago and since then I’ve helped family members dogs and done more research on my own .. breeds include gsd, pit bulls, yorkies, pomskys, bouvier, mix breeds


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## Gsd.chris (Jan 30, 2019)

Thanks for the replies every one


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## Fodder (Oct 21, 2007)

My friend has always said “my dog is my business card”

He’d simply take and work his dog everywhere and people would inquire. His business grew from that. His experience however, developed long before... (club, sport, etc)


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## tim_s_adams (Aug 9, 2017)

Well, right now with this whole COVID-19 debacle going on, it might be a bit tough. Humane Societies often use volunteers to walk and train their dogs, but in exchange will provide classes and certification in various degrees of training. I know a dog walker who focuses mostly on clients in assisted living places, but again might not fly right now.

And then as @Fodder said, get yourself some business cards printed up (it's surprisingly cheap!), and get out there with your dog and show off his skills!


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