The key to developing appropriate behaviors with your new pup and guiding his awareness from the unacceptable ones is to enlist the services of a professional trainer in your local North Pittsburgh area. The vast options make deciding on the most suitable training program overwhelming.

Pet parents want the very best in quality, effectiveness, positivity, and personability with their choice. Dog trainers are not all created equal with only a select few having an educational background, extensive training, and experience in the industry.

Basic obedience such as sit and stay, socialization, and leash training help pet parents begin to manage their puppy’s behavior while providing mental stimulation, developing a sense of confidence, and improving the dog’s quality of life.

A quality trainer in North Pittsburgh is transparent with pet parents on the techniques and tools used in their programs. Sessions are customized to ensure they meet a pup’s unique needs and specific challenges emphasizing positive reinforcement.

What to Look for When Searching for a Dog Trainer

The most suitable dog trainer in Pittsburgh works with puppies in groups or private settings to develop appropriate skills before unacceptable behaviors develop. Choosing a training program can be problematic since only a select few trainers are credentialed and considered professionals.

What are the key things to know before committing to a training program? Here is what you should look for when researching the most qualified, quality dog trainers.

Identify your needs and ensure the trainer’s expertise aligns with these

It would help if you established your pup’s needs before searching for a training program to ensure it aligns with those needs. These include socialization, basic obedience, learning new tricks, or behavior modification. Perhaps you’ve adopted a dog specifically to assist in a service capacity. 

The pup must undergo advanced training to become a service dog. You’ll be better prepared to pose the right questions and have concerns addressed when you plan for your puppy’s adoption. A primary question should relate to the trainer’s years of experience in the areas you need help with.

While you want to know how long the professional has been a trainer, the priority is knowing how long they’ve specialized in this specific area. Click here for tips on finding a dog trainer in Pittsburgh.

The training philosophy

A reputable instructor will be transparent with their training philosophy, whether they use a reward-based positive approach or prefer a balanced training program.

Positive, force-free teaching uses rewards for reinforcement with behavior modification without repercussions for inappropriate responses except for withholding the reward.

Balanced teaching is essentially similar to a positive reinforced approach; however, it involves humane, reasonable consequences for inappropriate responses to learned commands. In that same vein, aversive control is used with poor behavior.

Most people prefer solely a reward-based positive approach to training without consequences.

Inclusions in the program

As the pet parent, you will be included in the instruction with a reputable dog trainer. This is critical to ensure consistency with the skills being taught. This is a question to ask when consulting with a prospective instructor and confirming with references who have used the program.

You want to know the amount of interaction there was with the trainer before the actual sessions began. You can determine how comfortable and engaged the pup is and whether the level of communication between you and the instructor is adequate.

Not only communication but you feel as though your concerns are heard and addressed. Do you feel you will gain as much from the program as your puppy?

Research the instructor

Check the instructor’s website and social network for testimonials from previous clients to learn of their experiences with the trainer, check authoritative sites for ratings and potential disputes and how these were resolved, and consult with the puppy’s vet for any experience they may have had with the trainer.

The instructor should provide references for you to contact to discuss specifics about the training program, the trainer’s methods, and the dogs’ engagement in the sessions.

Expertise

Your dog will progress with his skills and have the most success with the training program if the instructor has adequate experience and an effective approach toward training. The priority is that the approach motivates your dog and that you agree with the methods.

The industry is unregulated meaning anyone can become a trainer without experience or qualifications. This means that each trainer will have different credentials, with at least a minimum standard for those certified in the training industry.

You want to become familiar with those standards, so you’re informed when consulting with varied instructors to ensure the best decision is made.

Questions/Concerns

Regardless of the credentials and expertise, the ideal dog trainer will provide an excellent customer experience for you and your pup. You should feel comfortable asking questions and posing concerns, and your puppy should take little time to become familiar with the instructor.

A quality trainer will readily answer all questions and likely volunteer details before you have a chance to ask. Many will have well-trained dogs of their own to offer examples of their training expertise.

Those with a solid reputation will also have an extensive following of clients who confirm positive experiences and complete satisfaction with the instruction which involves reward-based positive training.

Final Thought

When searching for a quality dog trainer in North Pittsburgh, prioritize consulting with several prospects with whom you can ask as many questions as you need to and pose all concerns. A reputable, professional instructor will readily address these inquiries and often supply the information before there’s a chance to ask.

These dog trainers have long-time clients who come back as they adopt new puppies or develop issues and they refer others close to them who are first-time pet parents.

It’s better to choose an instructor with a philosophy, knowledge, and expertise you feel confident and comfortable with. Above all else, make sure the trainer uses positivity and kindness.  Dogs are more than worthy of this.