GETTING THE MOST OUT OF YOUR DOG TRAINING SESSIONS
The modern world of dog training is vast. It can be very difficult to decipher which guidance is worth following and which should be best avoided. It can also be difficult to determine which sources and information is trustworthy vs. what should be ignored or even avoided. Similar to any other type of coach or trainer, it’s incredibly important to find someone whose ethos, methods, and approach align with yours.
Choosing a dog trainer can be quite a daunting and costly task. Training costs money, but the not so transparent cost that comes when a trainer gives you guidance that doesn’t work for you and your dog can be even higher. Once you feel you have made a decent selection, here are a few things you can do to ensure that you are getting the most out of your investment, while also allowing you to validate that the decision to continue with your selected trainer or coach is the right one!
6 ways to GET THE MOST OUT OF YOUR SESSIONS
Come to your sessions prepared and ready.
Do the pre-work, gather your thoughts and come ready for the conversation and activities. This will ensure that there is less time spent organising and more time spent doing or responding to or working on your concerns.
Ask all the questions you have until you feel you understand what is happening, and then ask some more!
Make sure you know what is happening, and understand the intention of the methods and techniques you are being encouraged to employ with your dog. It’s important to be an informed consumer.
Do the homework
You’ve taken the time to source your trainer or coach. You’ve shown up to your session. You will absolutely get the best results if you do the work every day to progress you and your dog.
Free doesn’t mean useless
I tend to give away a lot of free resources that are readily available online…Just because the information shared is “free” does not mean it’s any less valuable. There’s a good chance your trainer has spent countless hours curating content and selecting the bits and pieces they can feel are stand out. Take advantage of their experience and if they have given you a rational resource, please utilise it.
Follow your instincts and validate the information that you’ve been given.
You are hiring a professional to help guide you on your journey but it’s also important to do your own research, push back and reach decisions for yourself. Your trainer is a human being, too and comes with their own set of biases and opinions about how to go about things. If something doesn’t feel right, it’s ok to ask questions and it’s also ok to make changes if ultimately you feel you can find a better fit for you and your dog elsewhere.
If you get stuck, ask for help!
As coaches and trainers, we are here to help you and your dog get unstuck! If a method that you’ve tried isn’t working, We can help you try another one.
As dog trainers and handler coaches, a huge motivation for getting into this line of work was simply because we want to see your dog thrive and help you both live your best life! The best clients are the ones that really get stuck in. They ask why. They provide and take feedback on what’s working and what isn’t. They let us know when they’re confused about something. They want to know the ins and outs of how we are going to progress on their dog’s journey! Clients like this not only tend to get the best outcomes, they’re also the ones that help us as professionals grow right alongside them by holding us accountable.
a few Red Flags to watch out for
They are unable to articulate why they have asked you to do something in a way that you understand.
A huge component of training and coaching is being able to teach. It is our job as professionals in this space to guide and educate. As educators, that means taking the time to ensure that you and your dog are not left behind on concepts, techniques, and ensure that we’ve done our bit to shed light on the areas you have found to be confusing.
Their approach is, well, dogmatic.
There is nothing wrong with having an opinionated approach to how to train a dog or coach a handler. A good trainer, however, should be able to provide a pragmatic perspective as to the pros and cons, as well as to the reasonings behind why certain aspects may be considered absolutes or hard limits for them.
They make you feel bad for wanting a second opinion.
Any professional that makes you feel trapped in their programme, or provides ultimatums to the tune of “my way or the highway” may be worth a pause. It is not our job to force you on a specific path. Instead, it is our job to present you with options and do our best to guide you down the path we believe to be the best choice for you and your dog. At the end of the day though, you have to decide what’s best for your dog, and that means comparing your available options in order to make informed decisions.
They make you or your dog uncomfortable.
The discomfort that comes from growth or leaning into a new experience is very different than the discomfort that comes from someone who effectively “rubs you the wrong way”. The former is perfectly normal and a necessary part of learning. The latter?…probably an indication that it’s time to find a better fit.
Training Sens adheres to 6 Guiding Principles that have helped to keep the work honest and ensure the dog and handler are put first. Have a look at them on the ABOUT page to view them and let us know if we can be of service!
