Being a dog trainer:
Dog Trainer Mistakes can make a significant impact on the effectiveness of training sessions. Dog training is an incredibly interesting profession where you get to spend ample time with your furry companions while teaching them the best ways to behave. Additionally, you experience the gratitude of numerous pet parents for the work you do while earning a steady income. If you have solid experience in training dogs, you can turn it into a reliable source of livelihood.
Patience and a natural ability to interact with dogs are essential for any dog trainer. You must also possess strong intuition to assess each dog’s level of understanding, determine the type of training they require, and gauge the intensity of training they need. Once you master this skill, you can leverage your unique abilities to teach different dogs various commands and behavioral techniques. Just like humans, dogs have varying temperaments, requiring you to tailor your training methods based on their individual learning capabilities for optimal results.
At times, pet parents may misjudge the level of training their dog needs. Some may assume their dog requires only basic training when, in reality, it needs more advanced guidance. Others may underestimate the effort required for proper training. As a professional, it is your responsibility to help them understand the nuances involved in the process.
Since dog training is a challenging job, it is easy to make mistakes and cross certain boundaries. Even experienced trainers can slip up, which is why it’s crucial to be aware of the most common errors in the field.
“5 Dog Trainer Mistakes” that you should avoid:
Too much time between sessions:
If you leave too much time between the sessions, the dog might forget your purpose and the commands you taught them. They might also start viewing it as an activity they do once in a while rather than an actual teaching session that they have to learn from.
Inconsistent rules:
If you change the rules every time you meet them, they will not be able to understand what to follow. For the time being, they might end up following the said rules that sessions, but nothing will be imprinted in their brains. So it is very important to have and remember the rules you teach a dog and follow them religiously every session.
Violent behavior:
At no point, should you resort to violent behavior or harm the dog(s) in any way just because they are not listening to what you are saying. It is important to keep in mind that they do not understand our language completely and we need to make them accustomed to it slowly. If they make mistakes, it is probably not on purpose and hence does not deserve any sort of violent reaction to it.
Not regarding the breed:
You must always make sure that your training sessions are in accordance with the breed of the dog that you are teaching to. For example, some breeds might not be suited for vigorous agility training. Following along the same lines, it is also important to consider the dog’s age and abilities while training. You should focus on making them comfortable and ensuring that everything you are making them do is completely doable by them with a little encouragement and patience.
Stop at the first sign of good behavior:
Always make sure the dog has actually learned the behavior and not just accomplished it once before stopping to teach them that particular behavior.
