There are reputable organizations you can belong to as a trainer but there is no dog training license. Just like you can go to grooming school but there is also no grooming license. Sometimes I think people assume this because you have to have a license to cut hair, for example.
Anyway, while there are some good trainers at Petsmarts/Petcos (maybe they work there for the benefits or something) there could also be an unqualified person who only attended their two day seminar. I can say that after doing obedience classes with Loki and reading training books, I could teach the basic class at PetCo. Sit/Stay/Down/Come/Leave It are not all that difficult to explain and demonstrate. It's the nuances of working with multiple dogs and learning to read their body language that a true trainer learns.
You should get your money back and find an independent positive reinforcement trainer. Good signs are if she lets you use a harness and doesn't insist on a collar, suggests you bring her favorite treats to class, and suggests you never "punish" your dog.
Lots of places will offer small dog classes, you just have to look around. |