- K9 Capers
- Feb 8, 2022
- 3 min read
The media is full of "Celebrity" shows. We see these people decorating homes, making over gardens, upcycling trash into treasure, trading antiques, Cooking (way too many cooking shows) etc.
All of the people featured in these shows became household names. But not one of them started at the top. They all had a great foundation & built their knowledge & skill set over the years. Many would have worked long, hard hours & been taught by many & earned qualifications along the way.
People get inspired by what they see on these shows, it all looks so easy when a garden makeover is done in an hour-long show, or somebody takes a paintbrush to a chair found in a skip & sells it for £100's. Of course, there's more to it than meets the eye, a few steps may be skipped so it all fits into a 60-minute slot & there's a whole team of people behind the scenes. Deep down the viewers know there's no such thing as a quick fix right?
When the show is finished the wallpaper may start peeling in the decorated homes, the plants in the garden may start to droop & the cake that looked so amazing on the cooking show may taste awful. But to the viewing audience, it's all perfect.
What's this got to do with Dog Training?
Imagine a show where we see a family struggling with their dogs' behaviour.
In the next scene, Mister Dog Trainer turns up in his shiny Mr Dog Trainer Wagon, attired in his Mr Dog Trainer attire ( the most impractical clobber you could find, not a pair of waterproof, non-slip boots, dog hair covered fleece or hat to be seen)
The Pooch displays all of his absolute worst behaviour ( as if on cue) & Mr Dog Trainer smiles & nods knowingly.
In the next scene, Mr Dog Trainer Fixes the Pooches behaviour .....using the word "No" delivered at different pitches.
Next & final scene we see our Pooch who is now a reformed character, sat panting, licking his lips, avoiding his owner's gaze & not showing any untoward behaviour.
Isn't Mr Dog Trainer wonderful?
There's no such thing as a quick fix.
In the case of Mr Dog Trainer, we're not dealing with a hastily painted chair, or an ugly garden transformed with some fairy lights & water feature created from an old tyre.
We're dealing with a living, breathing creature in need of assessment & diagnosis = why is he' she acting like this? Could there be a medical reason, is it environmental, what's the history?
Management = How can we prevent this behaviour from escalating or being triggered.
Can medication or veterinary intervention help.
All of this info then needs to be imparted to the owner.
There's no such thing as a quick fix. Especially where animals are involved.
Most Trades People belong to a register, a governing body or society or regulatory body.
Unfortunately, the dog training industry is unregulated.
Many of us choose to take courses & attend workshops to gain qualifications & further our knowledge.
Others may choose to "buy" their way to a title, by registering with a Guild or Society (No proof of experience needed) or taking online courses with no assessment necessary.
That's it, with the click of a mouse they are "qualified".
So, how do you find a trainer that's honest, knowlegable, reliable & can be trusted?
Most trainers advertise, so Google will bring up lots.
Look for ones with checkable qualifications
Speak to them, ask questions, ask to watch a class before enrolling.
Can you communicate easily with them & understand the methods they use.
Can they tell you why they use certain methods?
Don't go for the best website, most expensive fees or the one that's been on TV! ......if in doubt choose the one covered in mud & dog hair!!!