Here are 10 things you didn’t know about dog trainers:
1. Dog trainers love dogs – sometimes their humans not so much.
2. Dog trainers don’t like being asked at parties what to do about your dog eating his own poop (or insert any dog training dilemma “here”) any more than a doctor likes being asked about that suspicious bump.
3. Dog trainers see the good, the bad, and the ugly – and wake up to do it all again every day.
4. Dog trainers’ dogs are not perfect by any stretch of the imagination – we have the same struggles as every dog owner – please don’t expect perfection from our beloved dogs.
5. Dog trainers are human. We have our strengths and weaknesses, our passions and our “eh” moments.
6. Dog trainers have working hours, and non-working hours, just like any other profession.
7. That emergency training problem you have that was months, or maybe years developing? It is not going to be “fixed” on a Sunday evening at 9:00 p.m. for Monday morning.
8. When you don’t have money for dog training and want your dog trainer to give you a discount or a free session, we don’t pay our rent, our bills, or buy groceries. For many dog trainers, this is their livelihood, not just a “hobby.”
9. Do as your dog trainer says, not as s/he does.
10. When what you’re doing isn’t working, try doing what your dog trainer suggested.
Being a dog trainer takes a certain kind of person. They must love dogs, enjoy working with people, be self-motivated, and compassionate. We salute all dog trainers who pursue education and modern practices to improve their service to their community.
