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yorkipower · 02-08-2005, 07:49 AM

Hello! Thanks for the great question. I think it will help others too!

Bently's Mom has given excellent advice here so my input will be limited. Please check out the string on "harnesses" that we had a month or so ago. I go into a bit of detail on training methods in that post.

http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1069

Like Bently's mom said, training classes are great, but you've got to be careful where you go. I wish there was a fail safe method by which I could refer you to a "good" trainer but in the U.S., there are no requirements that a person be "registered" to put out a shingle and train dogs (to be honest, although I've been "planning" to take the NADOI test myself, I never get around to it). Just because someone is not certified with one of these organizations does not mean, either, that they are not good trainers. Many of my dog training friends are great trainers and teachers but don't belong to any formal organization. They've learned training their own dogs and through years of competition (competition obedience, agility, Rally-O, tracking, etc.). Really, it's a combination of self-education and gut instinct. Read up on dog training and arm yourself with knowledge before you enter that first class. If things don't look "right" to you, leave. Here's a quick list of some WONDERFUL dog training books you can start out with:

Karen Pryor's Dog and Dolphin
Quick Clicks
Susan Garrett's Ruff Love
The Culture Clash
Don't Shoot the Dog
The Latchkey Dog
Little Dog Training your Pint Sized Companion
If Dog's Prayers were Answered, Bones Would Rain From the Sky
Calming Signals

Useful Magazines:
Front & Finish
Dog & Handler
Agility Action (on-line)
CleanRun – (although a generalization I’ve found that schools that teach agility tend to lean closer to positive and operant conditioning techniques and away from compulsion training – checking out the cleanrun website and going to their information links will be helpful in finding a school or training club near you that’s http://www.cleanrun.com)
Off-Lead

There are many more, I can't even think of all the great resources out there off the top of my head! I also know that if you are in the northeast, the Match Show Bulletin – http://matchshow.home.att.net/ is a great source of dog training schools from which to compare.

Lastly, although this is not a full-proof method - there are a few organizations that you can investigate which certify trainers (and in one instance behaviorists):

http://www.nadoi.org/ - NADOI - the National Association of Dog Obedience Instructors
http://www.apdt.com/ - APDT - Association of Pet Dog Trainers
http://www.cisab.indiana.edu/ABS/App..._cert9_97.html - ABS - The Animal Behavior Society (these are mostly vets or people with MS or Phds in behavior science).

02-08-2005, 07:49 AM	#3
yorkipower BANNED! Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: New York Posts: 446	Some suggestions on finding a good dog training school Hello! Thanks for the great question. I think it will help others too! Bently's Mom has given excellent advice here so my input will be limited. Please check out the string on "harnesses" that we had a month or so ago. I go into a bit of detail on training methods in that post. http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1069 Like Bently's mom said, training classes are great, but you've got to be careful where you go. I wish there was a fail safe method by which I could refer you to a "good" trainer but in the U.S., there are no requirements that a person be "registered" to put out a shingle and train dogs (to be honest, although I've been "planning" to take the NADOI test myself, I never get around to it). Just because someone is not certified with one of these organizations does not mean, either, that they are not good trainers. Many of my dog training friends are great trainers and teachers but don't belong to any formal organization. They've learned training their own dogs and through years of competition (competition obedience, agility, Rally-O, tracking, etc.). Really, it's a combination of self-education and gut instinct. Read up on dog training and arm yourself with knowledge before you enter that first class. If things don't look "right" to you, leave. Here's a quick list of some WONDERFUL dog training books you can start out with: Karen Pryor's Dog and Dolphin Quick Clicks Susan Garrett's Ruff Love The Culture Clash Don't Shoot the Dog The Latchkey Dog Little Dog Training your Pint Sized Companion If Dog's Prayers were Answered, Bones Would Rain From the Sky Calming Signals Useful Magazines: Front & Finish Dog & Handler Agility Action (on-line) CleanRun – (although a generalization I’ve found that schools that teach agility tend to lean closer to positive and operant conditioning techniques and away from compulsion training – checking out the cleanrun website and going to their information links will be helpful in finding a school or training club near you that’s http://www.cleanrun.com) Off-Lead There are many more, I can't even think of all the great resources out there off the top of my head! I also know that if you are in the northeast, the Match Show Bulletin – http://matchshow.home.att.net/ is a great source of dog training schools from which to compare. Lastly, although this is not a full-proof method - there are a few organizations that you can investigate which certify trainers (and in one instance behaviorists): http://www.nadoi.org/ - NADOI - the National Association of Dog Obedience Instructors http://www.apdt.com/ - APDT - Association of Pet Dog Trainers http://www.cisab.indiana.edu/ABS/App..._cert9_97.html - ABS - The Animal Behavior Society (these are mostly vets or people with MS or Phds in behavior science). Last edited by yorkipower; 02-08-2005 at 07:52 AM.