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When choosing a dog trainer to work with you and your dog, in your home, there are a number of factors to take into consideration. The priority that each of these factors holds for each client is different, but they should all be taken into account before you invest your hard earned dollars. Some examples are: |
Methods - The Methods Used By Dog Trainers - How They Will Handle Your Dog. |
At Phoenix Valley Dog Training, we have a unique philosophy and approach to training you and your dog. Listed below are some explanations of each of the above factors and how we answer the questions that you might have for each topic. |
Training Methods - The Methods Used By Dog Trainers |
Every dog trainer has their own methods and philosophy regarding the most effective way to train a dog. The average dog trainer will fall into one of three categories: |
1. Shock Collar Dog Trainers 2. Koehler Method Dog Trainers 3. Purely Positive Dog Trainers |
Each of these methods have their positives and negatives and you should understand if someone uses these methods before you hire them. It will be the basis for how they handle your dog. |
Shock collar training is exactly what it sounds like. They may refer to them as e-collars, stimulus collars or correction collars, but they are all doing the same thing. They are applying shock to your dog. |
It's true that your dog may learn quickly using shock, but you are teaching your dog to learn by using physical pain and you risk side effects that cannot be predicted. |
The Koehler method was developed in the 1960's by a gentleman named Dick Koehler. It's refered to in dog training circles as the "yank and crank" method. All training is done on leash in the beginning and the leash is used to force a dog to respond to commands. |
The following is taken directly from the koehlerdogtraining.com website: |
"This one statement: “that when those choices are influenced by the anticipation of punishment they will most likely cease” is the genesis for most criticisms of Koehler’s methods. The critics argue that teaching a dog to anticipate punishment will produce a condition of anxiety which will permanently colour his behaviour; and that the anxious dog will become, at best ‘apprehensive’, or at worst ‘afraid,’ of his own behaviour. |
I would like to debunk this argument by analyzing a part of our own human behaviour where an action is, in fact, motivated by the anticipation of punishment...stopping for red lights. |
Everyday, on every street, in every city, you will see pedestrians, bicyclists, and drivers stopping for red lights. How did this come to be? We are not born with a gene that predisposed us to this behaviour; we were programmed by punishment, or the threat of punishment, to do so. Once we have learned that not stopping for the light produces punishment, but that stopping for it somehow prevents punishment, we simply learn to stop in the presence of the stimulus (the red light) to avoid punishment. Therefore, when we approach a red light we do not feel apprehension or fear for the stimulus, we feel instead, only the need to stop. |
Stopping for red lights is really a matter of choice. You may choose not to stop for the light, in which case you will then have to endure the anxiety which follows. Or, you may choose to stop for the red light, in which case you will feel the calmness which follows right action. Either way, it is a matter of choice." |
The writer is actually comparing apples to oranges. He's trying to justify physical punishment (the use of the leash to physically punish a dog) by comparing it to a negative psychological punishment (getting a ticket for running a red light). |
With the Koehler method, a dog is put on leash and then physically forced to submit to the handler's will. When you run across a dog trainer that says "we'll have your dog performing off-leash within three session...", they are not talking about off-leash walking, they are talking about using the Koehler method at the beginning of training and eventually working your dog without the leash. |
Again, we don't support this method. We'll be working with your dog off-leash from the very beginning. We'll show you how to build a relationship with your dog based on trust and respect, not fear of physical violence. |
We find this method of training cruel and unnecessary and we do not support it. |
Purely Positive dog trainers are also known as "clicker trainers". Purely positive trainers have taken a lot of heat lately because they are thought to believe in a ridiculous premiss - that you can train a dog just by withholding the treat reward. A clicker trainer does not want to help a dog to learn through physical actions. They believe that this is a negative stimulus and should not be performed. |
If you are a fan of the dog training shows on television, you may be familiar with Victoria Stillwell from "It's Me Or The Dog". Victoria is a purely positive trainer. We like her and her show, but we've noticed that you can watch 20 episodes and you might never see her touch a dog. It's almost as though a purely positive trainer doesn't understand that a dog can be physically corrected without using pain or violence. In nature, physical correction is the natural course for all animals. |
A nationally known dog trainer named Ty Brown wrote the following: |
"It is my contention that there is no such thing as ‘purely positive’ training. If you look at any force in the world there is always an opposite. Down always has an up. Left always has a right. The only reason you know what sad feels like is because you know what happy is. The only way you have been able to experience victory results from defeats you have had. There is always an opposite. |
So how about applying this to ‘purely positive’ dog training methods. If something is positive that means that there has to be a negative to balance it. If training was truly ‘purely positive’ that would mean that you reward your dog with a treat for every single behavior he performs. |
If you reward your dog for sitting on command with a treat that also means that you aren’t rewarding your dog when he doesn’t sit. Is withholding a treat ‘purely positive’ Your dog builds a negative association with disobedience because there is no treat. How can he build a negative association if you are using ‘purely positive’ methods. |
The problem with ‘purely positive’ trainers is not only the semantics. The methods are so unsound and do not get the desired dog training results. Think about it, if you tell your dog to do a command and his only consequence for disobedience is the lack of a treat, how well behaved will your dog be? If your dog is running toward the street to chase a cat do you think he would rather return to your side to get the treat or continue chasing the cat? |
Purely positive dog trainers and dog training methods are not only misleading but a horrible way to train a dog." |
We agree with what Mr. Brown has written. Purely positive training is actually detrimental to the progress of your dog and we do not employ this philosophy. We use a natural, blended methodology of training that is much more effective for you and your dog. |
The Phoenix Valley Dog Training Philosophy And Methodology |
At Phoenix Valley Dog Training, we use a natural blend of classical, operant and counter-conditioning to teach your dog respect and manners. The foundation of our program is in pack structure. We teach the dog basic obedience, advanced obedience and correction commands using positive reinforcement and humane negative reinforcement. We also teach them that you are the pack leader in your home and that they should be looking to you for their cues on how to behave. |
"Hey Steve! I just wanted to send you an update on how Audi is doing. She's fabulous and we're on our second foster dog. I think it's really helping her deal with distraction and still listen to us at the same time because I've noticed a HUGE improvement! We've been working with long distance recall and she's getting much better at coming to us when called but there is still more work to be had. Everyone comments on how she looks to us for 'permission' before she does something and they all think it's really cool. I'm like 'yeah, I know, she's my girl! Talk to you soon." |
Katie Ahwatukee, Arizona |
"I just wanted to write today to tell you how impressed we are with the results we've seen from the dogs. We're getting the barking under our control and Bailey's marking has stopped completely. It's honestly a joy to be around our dogs now. Your teachings were very informative and helpful and, just to let you know, we both thought you were very fun to work with. Your sense of humor added a level of enjoyment to the sessions that we weren't expecting. I told you this before but I'm still surprised at how much information you were able to pass along to us and how knowledgeable you are about the dogs' behavior. There were so many things that you were right on about. As you know, when we tried that other service and they had us getting down and barking at our dog, I didn't have a lot of confidence and I was really just embarrassed. Your methods taught us so much about leadership and pack structure - things that they never even discussed with us." |
Robert and Pam Glendale, Arizona |
Experience - The Dog Trainer's Experience And Credentials. |
Location - Where The Training Sessions And Follow-up Sessions Will Be Held. |
Program - Number Of Sessions, Length Of Agreement, Program Curriculum. |
Guarantees - Any Promises That Are Made By The Trainer. |
Costs - Upfront Costs And Ongoing Costs That You Will Incur. |
You need to understand the methods that a dog trainer uses before you hire them. There are a number of different philosophies on the most effective way to train a dog. Listed below are the types of trainers that you will run into during your search. At Phoenix Valley Dog Training, we do not subscribe to these methods and have developed a very humane, dog-friendly program that does not fall into any of the categories that are listed. |
We teach using a three-phase learning program that takes your dog through instruction, correction and performance under distraction. Our dogs are expected to learn the commands, perform the commands on your direction and perform the commands even under distraction. |
All of our methods are very humane and dog-friendly. We do not use any kind of physical pain or punishment to teach our dogs and we will never give you any gimmicky devices such as a clicker for obedience or a spray bottle for correction. We never apply the yank and crank method, shock stimulus or drug therapy to a dog. |
By the end of our program, we expect your dog to understand that you and the other members of the household are above them in the pack hierarchy. They will be taught to respect you, your things and that they should be looking to you for their cues on how to behave, even under distraction. |
Experience - The Dog Trainer's Experience And Credentials. |
Don't be afraid to ask a dog trainer about their experience in the field. There are no state or federal regulations that need to be met to call yourself a dog trainer. There are a number of people out there who have read the literature or taken an online course and now call themselves dog trainers. |
Also, don't be too impressed by credentials or length of time in the business. Length of time in the business is only important if the trainer has taken on continuing education and stayed current on the newest and most effective dog training methods. If a dog trainer has been in business for thirty years, but has not continued their education on the newest science of dog training, they may not be the trainer for you. Ask them about their on-going training and how they keep on top of the newer methods and technologies. |
And always keep in mind that the majority of the credentials out there can be bought. The closest thing that we have in our industry to a self-policing, or self-monitoring, organization is the International Association of Canine Professionals. To be a professional level member with that organization, you have to have been training dogs for five years and you have to prove it. Most of the other organizations will allow you to buy your membership without proving your abilities. |
In addition, to become a certified evaluator for the American Kennel Club's Canine Good Citizen program, you must pass their Evaluator Test. |
Phoenix Valley Dog Training's Experience and Credentials |
Phoenix Valley Dog Training, LLC is the name of our local company. We also own the franchise rights, for the entire Phoenix valley, to a national dog training company called Canine Dimensions Home Dog Training. We bought into the Canine Dimensions franchise because of the effective and progressive methods that they have developed. |
Canine Dimensions has been in business since 1995 and Phoenix Valley Dog Training has been doing business in the valley since 2003. |
Before we could be approved to purchase our franchise, we had to pass the Certified Dog Behavior Advisor certification program and complete a one-on-one, formal internship led by the founder of Canine Dimensions. We are also required to participate in on-going training annually at our corporate campus. None of our education is done on the internet. All requirements are met by handling actual dogs. |
Our organizational affiliations and credentials include: |
The American Kennel Club - Certified Canine Good Citizen Evaluator #37520 American Red Cross - Certification in Canine CPR and First Aid Accredited By The Better Business Bureau - "A" Rating |
Location - Where The Training And Follow-up Sessions Will Be Held. |
When you work with Phoenix Valley Dog Training, all of the sessions will be performed one-on-one, in and around your home. We never make you pack up your dog and bring them to a class for follow-up sessions. |
If needed, we will also accompany you to a park or other public place to help your dog learn proper behavior in those settings. |
Most behaviors need to be addressed in the dog's home environment. This is where the poor behavior is happening and most people find that when they take their dog out of the home, the dog's behavior changes. This is very common. |
We don't recommend classroom training for a dog as it can be a very stressful or distracting environment for them. It might be good for your dog's socialization, but we can help you achieve that in more effective and less expensive ways. Also, if your dog isn't the squeaky wheel, you may find that you do not get your share of the dog trainer's attention and focus. |
We've also found that in-home dog training helps to build the dog's bond with their owner and they tend to be more focused and open to learning. |
Program - Number Of Sessions, Length Of Agreement, Curriculum, etc. |
We want to talk to you about your dog and the problems that you are running into with them. The idea that you can use a cookie-cutter program for every dog and expect to get the same response every time is ridiculous. |
We tailor our program to meet your dog's needs and your training goals. Our methods are very fluid and we have alternative methods for everything that we teach. If a dog is not responding to an exercise, we have other means of addressing the issue. |
We will work with you until we find the most effective method for training you and your dog. |
At Phoenix Valley Dog Training, we don't sell our services based on hours or number of sessions. We sell our program packages based on timeframes so that you have a dog trainer as long, and as many times, as you need them. Our programs are incredibly effective because we are not continually nickle and diming you with additional session fees. You never have to make a decision about a follow-up session based on how much more it will cost you. |
When you hire us, you have a dog trainer for a set period of time. Whether it's six months, one year or for the life of your dog, you will get training sessions as you need them. |
You never pay additional session fees or travel fees with us. You get an unlimited program with us so we can address each and every behavior that your dog is demonstrating without you worrying about ongoing fees and escalating costs. And we never withhold information that you need just because we want to sell you an additional session. |
When you work with us, we will teach you how to correct the pack structure within your home and we will teach your dog basic obedience, advanced obedience, pack structure, leash manners, general dog manners and behavior correction. |
Guarantees - Any Promises That Are Made By The Trainer. |
Watch out for the trainer that promises too much. It's an unethical practice to promise or guarantee specific results. It's the equivalent of a doctor saying "You're sick? Come on in, I promise I'll make you healthy." It's not something that anyone can promise. |
The best promise or guarantee anyone should give you is that they will work with you to the best of their abilities and they will continue to help you to try and reach your goals and objectives for your dog. |
To say that they promise that they can change your dog or that they can guarantee their results is a dishonest practice and the trainer is doing a disservice to you. |
An ethical trainer will tell you up front if he thinks your dog is fixable, but he will be honest with you about the road that you will have to travel to gain success. |
Costs - Upfront Costs And Ongoing Costs That You Will Incur. |
We don't quote our prices on the website. It's not something that we can do in a fair or accurate way. |
We need to talk to our customers about the problems that they are experiencing with their dog so that we can then tailor a program that is affordable and effective for the dog and the owner. We always try to recommend the most effective program for a dog while still keeping it affordable for the owner. |
If you don't need the longer term programs, we will tell you that up front and be honest with you about the program that we would recommend for your needs. |
If you are talking to an hourly trainer and you want to compare apples to apples, ask them the fee per hour and then ask them to estimate how many hours they put into the average dog with similar problems to your dog. |
For example, if a trainer charges $125.00 per hour, and they estimate 4 to 6 sessions for your dog, you are looking at a total cost of between $500.00 and $750.00 dollars (keeping in mind that you will get 6 hours for your $750). |
That may seem like a reasonable cost for in-home training, but will you really get everything you need in 4 to 6 hours, or will they continue to try and setup additional sessions beyond that? |
At Phoenix Valley Dog Training, when we quote you a price, it is the only cost you will ever have with us. We do not charge for additional sessions and we do not charge travel fees. Your program will include as many sessions as your dog requires and you will also get unlimited telephone and email support for questions or problems that come up between sessions. |
We hope this page answered most of your questions about hiring a dog trainer. If you have additional questions that were not covered, please contact us to discuss things further. |
Tips On Hiring A Dog Trainer |
If you are worried about the side-effects of shock collar training, then you need to know ahead of time if the trainer uses shock. If you are against putting your dog on drugs, it's important to know if the trainer supports or recommends drug therapy. Don't be afraid to ask the trainer about their methods. They are going to be handling your dog and you need to support the methods that they use. |
Ask the trainer about the specific methods that they use. |
An experienced trainer can evaluate your situation with a few simple questions. A free in-home evaluation is usually offered as a ploy to get face-to-face with you. It's much easier to sell you on a service that way. A trainer who isn't willing to quote you their price over the phone may have a reason for that. |
Watch out for trainers that want to do an in-home evaluation. |
The goal of an hourly rate trainer is to charge you per behavior. This can get very expensive, very quickly. For a good training program, you can assume that you are going to spend a total of at least 6 to 10 hours with your trainer. |
Be careful of trainers who charge an hourly rate. |
We've tried it in the past and it just isn't very effective. A dog tends to exhibit very different behaviors outside of their home and in a classroom setting they can be distracted and stressed. Also, you will find that you are paying for a trainer whose time is split between multiple participants and they can easily become focused on the one or two problem students in the class and you and your dog become secondary. |
We recommend avoiding classroom training. |
Do you charge travel fees? Are there additional session costs? Are you going to send me to PetsMart every time you recommend a new training device? Will I always have the same trainer? These are all valid questions and a reputable trainer will not be afraid to answer them for you. |
Ask questions. |
Sadly, our industry does not have any licensing or certification requirements. The IACP (the International Association of Canine Professionals) is probably the closest thing we have to a self-policing organization. Ask potential trainers about their qualifications. We are a Professional member of the IACP. To earn this status you have to have at least five years of dog training experience and you have to prove it. Most of the other dog training organizations out there are fee based memberships and anyone can join. |
Don't be overly impressed with a trainer's credentials. |
We are also certified evaluators for the AKC's Canine Good Citizen program. This also requires a level of experience and has testing requirements. It's not something that you can just buy. |
You will be working closely with your trainer and sharing your dog's successes and failures with them. Make sure you have found a trainer who communicates well with you and who is willing to discuss why their methods work and what they do if your dog isn't responding well to a certain method. Some trainers are locked into one way of doing things and don't understand or accept that not every method works with every dog. They should always be willing to discuss alternative methods with you. |
Lastly, find a trainer that you enjoy talking to. |
"Hey Steve, thanks for checking in on us. Bubba's doing great. I can't believe he's so reliable with his commands now. We had my sister over yesterday and were showing him off. You're totally right that a really solid stay is much more impressive than tricks. We were using every distraction that you taught us to show him off. It was very impressive. When we were dropping the treats, you could see how much he wanted to break the stay and attack them but he performed like a champ! I was so proud of him (she made the comment that before the training I couldn't even get him to sit with any consistancy - she's right). I was really worried that he would come back and only listen to you (I know I'm not the most commanding person). But when you showed me how to elevate myself into the pack leader role, it all made sense. I'm following your suggestions as best I can and he really does show me more respect now." |
Nikki Mesa, Arizona |
"At 3 months old when I brought this boundless ball of energy home I knew he was going to be a handful. After interviewing four local dog trainers, I chose Steve with Phoenix Valley Dog Training. Their practice and philosophy of taking the time to get to know each individual dog and owner demonstrates their commitment to providing an effective and tailored program that is suitable to the specific needs of clients. In addition to the basic training sessions, Steve's availability to answer questions and concerns as they have surfaced has been a great resource to guide Cooper and I through some challenging situations. Although Cooper and I still have a long road ahead of us, I am very happy and satisfied with the work we have done over the last five months and I am looking forward to all the great training adventures to come." |
Danielle Phoenix, Arizona |
"Thanks for the timely follow up. I was going to write last night to tell you that Dudley and I had two of the best walks yesterday. They were in fact the best walks I have ever had with a dog companion. Dudley was well mannered and focused the entire time. He responded well to "heel" and we worked on his "sit " when I stopped. We need more work on that!" |
Tim and Kate Chandler, Arizona |
Second Email: "Dudley and I just got back from a great walk. We met three women, mother, daughter, grandmother. We were heeling along, we stopped, Dudley sat, waited while they passed and went on. The mother commented on how well mannered Dudley was and the grandmother thanked us for stopping to let them pass. IT WAS FREAKIN GREAT!!!!!!!!" |
"...After researching on the Internet, I found Steve's web site. Perfect! Our little Sidney needed to learn how to behave and she needed to learn it in her own...uh, I mean OUR own house! Steve was full of information on the first visit and he got a pretty good idea that Sidney was a dog who had her mind made up that life was going to go HER way. He also completely understood the "nighttime crazies"! Today she is a much calmer, better behaved dog than she was when we called Steve. She still has her moments when she barks, but she quiets down very quickly and clearly understands the "enough" command. She's the dog we wanted when we adopted her. Steve was so helpful; always there via email or telephone to offer support, encouragement, and ideas to resolve the issue of the day. When he came to the house, he demonstrated first hand how to teach Sidney to be a well behaved dog. I am so glad I found the web site and made that call!" |
Kathy Peoria, Arizona |
"The pleasure was all ours. You have made a tremendous difference in our home. We had a loving, but unruly, dog before we met you. Moose is now truly a fantastic member of our family (pack) and Tracy has taken to him like I never thought imaginable. She was sick of his poor behavior and now she spends a ton of time with him. We are working hard at using the right commands and WE are coming along good. Moose is behaving very well and has taken us as leaders without any argument at all. Thanks to your teachings, we are better owners and appreciate our Moose more than we could have ever thought possible. Thank you! And we look forward to seeing you whenever you may be in the area with other clients. And we'll be in touch along the way to keep you apprised of Moose's progress. With our warmest appreciation, THANK YOU !" |
Neil and Tracy Queen Creek, Arizona |
"As a new dog owner (who had never owned a dog before) I was a bit concerned about making the right decisions with my new puppy, Bogey. I got advice from a lot of places including friends, books and the internet. There were so many differing opinions that it just made me more worried. I started calling dog trainers and after talking to four or five of them I ran across Steve at Phoenix Valley Dog Training. He was very personable. I felt right away that he knew what he was talking about and that he had an honest concern for helping me out. We spent an hour talking on the first call. They weren't the cheapest but they weren't even close to being the most expensive. Cost was a concern for me but I felt like it was really worth it since I was investing in the next ten years or so with Bogey. After working with Steve in the first session, I knew I had made the right decision. I was amazed at the amount of information he was able to pass along to prepare me for raising my puppy. My head was actually swirling. There was so much to learn. But Steve made it easy. He provided a workbook to help answer my questions and he followed up the training session with an email that covered everything that we had talked about. Anyway, my real reason for writing isn't just to give you a testimonial. It's because I want to tell you what a good trainer you have in Steve. He's so patient and understanding that it makes it very easy to work with him. He's also very funny and he's just a good guy. That makes the sessions a lot more enjoyable. And you should see Bogey whenever he comes over. He just loves Steve. So, thank you for being there for me and thank you for employing Steve. Don't ever let him get away." |
Kathy Fountain Hills, Arizona |
Shock Collar Training |
The Koehler Method (Yank and Crank Training) |
Purely Positive Training (Click and Treat) |
The International Association of Canine Professionals - Professional Member #3240 The Association of Pet Dog Trainers - Full Member #74521 |
"Thanks for checking in and for the great re-cap you emailed us, it was very helpful! Things are going much better with Ranger. We have had many moments over the last two weeks when we have said “Steve is a genius!” We’ve definitely made some progress with the things we’ve talked about. We’ve been pretty good about all the techniques you taught us regarding pack structure. Regarding the first commands, I think that is going very well. He has basically mastered all of them. We have even gotten to the point where he will remain in a “Stay” with treats on his paws and not move till we say “break” (even if we are out of sight)!" |
Kirsten Paradise Valley, Arizona |
Home Dog Training |
(c) copyright 2003-2010 Phoenix Valley Dog Training, LLC. - AZ Dog Trainers and Puppy Trainers. All Rights Reserved. |
All of the photos on our site are provided by Melissa Johnson Pet Photography in Phoenix, Arizona. We'd like to say thank you to Melissa for allowing us to use her dog photos. She did a wonderful job capturing Steve's dog Tigger and we highly recommend her services! |