Hiring Professional Training: When Should you?
Many dog owners wonder whether they should work through the problems they're facing on their own (maybe with the help of some YouTube videos) or seek professional help. With so much advice online, it's easy to assume every problem has an easy fix with some research and patience, which in some cases, is true!
While many dogs can learn basic skills at home, there are times that working with a professional trainer can make a significant difference - not only for your dog's progress, but for your confidence as an owner, too!
Your confidence can make a huge difference to your dog's progress!
You Don't Have to Wait Until There's a Serious Problem
Many dog owners, especially ones who've had them their whole lives, can feel embarrassed when it comes to hiring a professional for help, like they've failed their dog, and they're a bad owner for not knowing how to break the plateau they've reached.
This is so not true!!
One of the biggest misconceptions about dog training is that you only need it when something has gone terribly wrong, but that's absolutely not the case! In fact, in most cases, it's so much easier to prevent behaviours, or deal with them early, than it is to wait until they're deeply engrained.
Many dog owners hire a trainer to help with simple things like:
Raising a well-mannered puppy
Improving recall
Building loose-lead walking skills
Preparing for new life changes
Preventing future behaviour problems
Hiring someone with the experience and professional knowledge isn't a sign that you're a failure of an owner. It's showing that you're the exact opposite! You're being responsible for knowing where your personal limits are, and not letting that affect the life of your pup, instead choosing to be proactive to actively improve their happiness and livelihood.
You're Getting Conflicting Advice
Have you ever searched online for help and found ten different solutions for the same problem?
One person says use treats.
Another says stop using treats altogether.
One video recommends ignoring the behaviour.
Another suggests correcting it.
When you get a million different pieces of advice, it gets overwhelming, and makes the problem seem so much bigger than it did before, and like it's never going to get better so there's no point in even trying. Especially when other people have success stories for each different method.
Every dog is different. Online sources don't know the specific nuances to your dog's behaviour and use those to guide their response to the issue. A trainer can. A good trainer will use their experience to narrow down different methods, and start with the ones that make sense for your dog based on their breed, temperament, age, environment and learning style. Not the billions of others online.
Training Has Reached a Plateau
Many owners experience initial success, only to find progress suddenly stalls, which leads you to feel frankly really bad about yourself and your capabilities, when it's actually really normal.
Perhaps your dog is suddenly struggling to work around distractions they weren't before.
Maybe they're suddenly acting like they've never heard the word 'sit' before in their entire life, after months of doing it perfectly.
A trainer can often identify the missing pieces and help bridge the gap between practise and real-world scenarios.
Walks Are Becoming Stressful And/Or Unpleasant
Walking your dog should be an enjoyable source of exercise for both you and your pup.
If you're regularly dealing with:
Excessive pulling
Barking at other dogs
Lunging
Overexcitement
Anxiety on walks
And nothing you do seems to be working, it may be time to seek guidance before behaviours become more deeply engrained.
You're Avoiding Situations Because of Your Dog's Behaviour
Many owners gradually start changing their routines to avoid challenges.
Perhaps you walk at unusual times to avoid dogs, decline visitors, or avoid taking your dog to public places.
While management can sometimes be necessary, consistently avoiding situations can actually further instil the behaviour into your dog. If you find yourself in any of these situations, or similar, it can indicate that professional support may be necessary to improve your dog's behaviour and your confidence as their owner.
Your Dog's Behaviour Is Affecting Family Life
Training isn't just about obedience.
If your dog's behaviour is causing stress within the household, creating tension between family members, or limiting your daily activities, getting support can improve life for everyone involved.
At the end of the day, your dog is a member of the family, too. If a child in the family was acting out and causing the same issues, it would be dealt with to ensure the family can continue to be together as family should. The same goes for your dog.
You Want Personalised Guidance
Every dog is different.
What works brilliantly for one dog, may not work for another. That's why online advice cannot always be relied on, no matter how many other people have found it helpful.
A professional trainer can assess your dog's individual needs and tailor recommendations accordingly, helping you avoid wasting time on techniques that aren't a good fit, and can potentially be worsening the behaviour you're trying to amend.
The Earlier, The Better
Many behaviour issues become more difficult the longer they continue. Seeking help early doesn't mean you've failed as an owner - it means you're being a responsible, proactive owner with your dog's best interest in mind.
Professional dog trainers don't just train dogs, the biggest part of our jobs is to help owners understand their dogs better and develop the knowledge and practical skills that lead to long-term success.
It's all well and good if your dog is the perfect model of obedience and balance for your trainer, but we don't live with you! It's super important that we pass on the correct information to you to ensure the best result for you and your dog.
Hiring a dog trainer isn't a last resort. Whether you're raising a puppy, struggling with a specific behaviour, or simply wanting to strengthen your relationship with your dog, professional guidance can often save time, reduce frustration, and help you achieve your goals fore effectively.
If you're struggling with your dog's behaviour or would like personalised training support, feel free to get in touch to discuss how we can help!