How to Spot the Best (and Worst) Dog Trainers

How to Spot the Best (and Worst) Dog Trainers
By Robert Forto, PhD

My name is Dr. Robert Forto and I am the training director of Denver Dog Works and The Ineka Project in Colorado. I also host a weekly radio show called The Dog Doctor Radio Show every Saturday at 9:30 am. Our canine training school is much different than what you may be used to or what you have researched on the Internet. We truly do have the best trainers and we train the rest. We are the only school in Colorado that teaches people how to become expert canine trainers and behavior therapists and our reputation is backed by the simple formula that you can become a dog trainer by learning the ropes from books and television shows and struggling in your career forever, or you can learn the skill-set to become a fully competent trainer and have a very successful training school for not only your clients, but you as well. This article will focus on both the client and their dog, but also the person wanting to do this as a career. I have done it for nineteen years and can happily say this is the best job in the world. I am sure I will get in trouble from my competition in saying what I say in this article but that is okay. I welcome the dialogue. The proof is in the pudding and sometimes you just have to stir the pot.

It is all about the law of averages and beating the odds. Read on and I will explain.

Many average dog trainers teach average group classes, charge you an average price and have average knowledge and skills about dogs, dog training, dog behavior and canine psychology. Most owners do not know better or who do not really care about these facts, and they just settle with such trainers and end up with average results or even worse—NO RESULTS—in training their dogs! In contrast, the trainers I will be describing in this article are not your average dog trainers at all and are known to beat the odds.

So who emerges from the pack? There is an amazing energy and spirit about these individuals which you will notice right away that goes far beyond dog training. In fact, they know it is much more than dealing with dogs, and this is where I will open your eyes to the traits and qualities of the smartest and the most successful dog experts in the business. Because of their knowledge, skill and persona, they are not only making it--but making it with class and integrity. Again, don’t forget that I am referring to the smartest, so you don’t think that they just got lucky for being at the right place, at the right time or by meeting the right person. Even if that was the case for a few to some degree, before you know it, they took over and kept on paddling on their own.

One fact is, and please do not let this discourage you, but you will soon find out that these trainers make only the top one percent of the dog experts in the industry.

In my years of dealing with different trainers, I have known of those who enjoy fine wine and fancy dinners with the rich and famous. I have known those who have gone from groomer to national television persona and have big contracts and sponsorships. I have also known of trainers who only taught group classes and struggled for years. I have known of those who did not care much for going to the next level and settled for just being a part-timer, and of course I have also known of the ones who were very successful, but yet very miserable mentally. These folks, no matter how much money and success came their way, it was never enough. They simply wanted all the business. To them, the glass was always half empty. You could try reassuring them by saying, “Don’t worry. There are enough dogs for all of us and you cannot win them all, nor do you really want to.” These trainers would hear it, but it would not register. Some bombard the search engines with numerous websites and want to eat the whole pizza on their own. You know what the bad thing is about eating the whole pizza by yourself? It’s definitely not healthy for you in the long run! You share, and you shall receive. That’s how the universe works. It is a funny thing about the dog training business. It is such a closed society. I have never seen anything like it anywhere else. Why would you distance your peers and their knowledge just because you perceive them as a threat? It seems to me that you should welcome the competition and the additional resources afforded to you by your fellow trainers. I am sure you could teach them something and they could you as well.

The ones who stand out from the others are truly unique in every aspect you can think of. These individuals love what they do. This is why it's so hard to get a hold of them. They are too busy making a difference and often have a waiting list. They are busy teaching, training, running seminars, and promoting themselves, their products, and marketing their businesses. Sometimes it is training others to follow in their footsteps and carry on the torch.

The bottom line is, they get out there and love to be noticed for their message and their mission. I guess what I am trying to say is that dog experts are not any different than the rest of us. Through the years I have noticed that sometimes this simply comes down to hiring the best expert money can buy. The cheapest is rarely the best. Think about other trends in your life. Do you go to a “shade tree mechanic” because they are inexpensive and offer no warranty, or do you go to the repair shop that stands behind their work and have been in business for three generations? I have also learned a lot from the worst-of-the-worst. After all, this is where you learn what NOT to do. After studying those who were considered to be the real deal, I have noticed that they all came from a totally different class and mentality and it's no wonder why their success rate was so hard to ignore. When I put these trainers through the test, they all possessed these ten qualities about them:

1. These trainers care about you, your dog and their reputation
2. Their training method is backed by common sense not just the training fad of the day or what is popular on T.V.
3. These trainers pay attention to details.
4. You will not end up with a “half trained” dog.
5. These trainers’ methods work off leash and at a distance.
6. These trainers will train all dogs not just German Shepherds or Labradors
7. Your dog’s age never matters.
8. These trainers’ method is firm and kind.
9. These trainers let you experiment with different training techniques and tools. They don’t sell you a head halter, shock collar or books you must buy.
10. These trainers rarely give up on you or your dog.

I will explain these qualities on my radio show this week. Tune in and give us a call. If you are reading this article after the episode has aired, no worries. You can download it anytime at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/dogdoctor or on iTunes by searching Dog Doctor in the podcast section.

We at Denver Dog Works follow this mantra listed above. We are all certified in canine training and we love our jobs. We work with each client individually and we show results. We welcome you to speak to as many trainers and schools that you can. Ask questions and check their references. Are they the ones that just want your business or do they want to retain you as a client? A client that they can work with over the long haul. A client that will come to your school over and over again. A client that will recommend you to their peers. That’s what it’s all about isn’t it?

Give us a call. We offer an initial no-cost evaluation and we can show you why we have the best and train the rest. We can be reached anytime at 303-752-2818 or through our website.

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Dr. Robert Forto is the training director of Denver Dog Works and The Ineka Project in Colorado and hosts a weekly radio show The Dog Doctor Radio show every Saturday live at Denver Dog Works. Dr. Forto can be reached through his website at http://www.denverdogworks.com