need recommendations for trainers! - Page 3

Randy Hare - Alpha K9, Jackson , Ms www.alphak9.com

 In defense of board and train instructors (I do this myself) there are some people that just don't want to learn to become trainers themselves. A good board and train trainer is good for these types of people. When I take on a new client for board and train, I explain the whole "you have to maintain the training" type of thing. The benefit from my point of view is that at least one of the team (dog/handler) will understand something. I require a session before the b/t...then at least one session before going home, and then offer unlimited handling sessions as well as unlimited group with my board and train. I know many good trainers that offer the same. This is to ensure that the handlers have the opportunity to learn how to work with their trained dogs. It helps from my end because it gives me a chance to get to really know the individual dog (instead of just see him/her once a week for privates or group) and helps end the endless frustration of having someone either not have the time to really work the dog, or having them spend the time doing it wrong because they misunderstood or something. Many of the dogs I"ve done board and train maintain the training very well. If the client understands from the very beginning that they must work to maintain the training, it's a wonderful thing. 

I personally never knock someone who just doesn't want to do it themselves. Not everyone has the time/energy/patience to do the actual teaching. If they can give a command and learn how to enforce it more quickly then teaching it in the first place, why knock them? Most board and train programs or expensive. I tell students up front that this is partially to ensure the client really wants the dog trained and will value the training he received. (partially because of the amount of time spent on the trainers part). I've had some clients who call me 6 months later and need a slight refresher. I've had other ones who go on to do other things with their dogs...their lives much easier because I laid the strong foundation for them. Many times, it's a matter of convincing the owner that the dog is "not dumb". When they see that their dog actually learned something, they're often times willing to maintain it. So why knock someone who might be better off using board and train? After all, a trained dog is all the more likely to GET the exercise he/she needs, and is more likely to get positive attention because they're trained! 

As for training directors knowing how to solve behavior problems...yes they may...but then, they may not. Knowing how to solve jumping up or biting or any other behavior problem is not a requirement to become a training director. They may have some good ideas, but not all of them do it day in and day out. Some may be stuck in the old school training world, or be so locked in on schutzhund dogs that they can't see the forest through the trees. I once was visiting out of state and met a training director that didn't know how to deal with a simple housetraining problem. He was excellent at his schutzhund, but all his dogs were kennel dogs. Just because someone is good at schutzhund does not mean that they are a great trainer, and vice versa. I know many excellent trainers that wouldn't know the first thing about schutzhund, but could train circles around some of the schutzhund handlers I know. Never just assume because someone does schutzhund or is a training director, or serves in some position in a schutzhund club office or whatnot that they necessarily know how to deal with behavior problems. They only need to know how to train a routine after all. They may know something beyond that, but like I said, they may not. Not like it's a requirement or anything. 

 whoa, after I walked away and thought about it a minute I realized I said training directors only need to know how to train a routine, I think that's slightly simplified in what a training director needs to know how to do (they should be able to read drives etc etc) but my point was, they need to know how to do certain things, and just because they can do THOSE things, does not make them necessarily experts on solving behavior problems in dogs. It's definitely an individual thing.