2 Ways Inexperienced “Trainers” Are Ruining Your Service Puppy In Training
I get it. Training your own service dog seems expensive right? Money for classes, money for the dog, money for the supplies, money for this and money for that. But what you NEVER want to skimp money on if your service dog trainer, and yes that even means the trainer that is going to train your dog for basic obedience. What you may not know is that the entire service dog training industry (and pet dog training industry) is not regulated WHAT SO EVER.
NADA, NOTHING, ZIP, ZERO, ZILCH. NO REGULATIONS AT ALL.
Unfortunately a 4 year old child could open up a service dog training business and have as much legitimacy at training service dogs as someone like me, who has spoken at 6000+ member dog trainer conferences, won two national dog trainer awards, has personally had a service dog since 2005, trained over 150 medical alert dogs, spent $30,000 on education and taught over 250 dog training classes. That level of experience and education comes with a cost and the phrase “you get what you pay for” has never been truer than in the service dog and pet dog training world. Did you know that the only education you need at those big chain pet dog stores to become a dog trainer is TWO weeks of education. TWO weeks of education to teach a wild animal with WEAPONS that can easily rip and tear flesh in its mouth to never use its weapons on the loud, obnoxious and unpredictable public. Would you trust a person with two weeks worth of education to educate you child in neurosurgery? Obviously not. Do not use an inexperienced, uneducated trainer for your service dog, even for basic puppy obedience or adult dog training or you will pay with your life. See 2 of the hundreds of ways these “trainers” can ruin your service puppy in training by watching this weeks Medical Alert Dog Monday video.
If you want to prevent the problems associated with inexperienced trainers trying to teach your dog basic obedience or puppy socialization, enroll in our online Zoom group classes. It brings me live right into your home to teach you basic puppy obedience and socialization LIVE. You get to see me, I get to see you, you get to ask questions, I get to help you immediately. Its an amazing educational tool that is now being utilized by the largest universities on the planet and now by Service Dog Academy.
I agree with most of what you have said but you are classifying ALL Petco and Pet smart trainers as bad . Yes I understand a lot really are not good nor experienced and the program they use to “train” their trainers has went downhill. BUT Ive trained as a Petco trainer for over 10 years now, with roughly 1500 dogs minimal under my experience column, from puppy to the advanced and urban CGC and therapy & was a mentor for them previously until the program went further downhill ….the program I went through was roughly 6 months total. I had to take part in a basic class first, then ages of book work with a 2 hr test I had to get at least a 90% on ( I got 98%) , followed by 6 wks team teach, then onto my class with my mentor observing me for 6 wks . I am certified with AKC ( on my own) AND a Therapy Pet Evaluator . Now the mentoring program is down to 6 wks ….. no ,not near enough time hence why Im not mentoring any longer but it’s NOT 2 weeks . I can’t speak for Pet smart, I’ve heard theirs is different. A lot of trainers are using the methods you spoke of , I don’t agree either but unless Petco trainers are nt being monitored ….I can speak for we are not allowed to use ANY correction methods ie spray bottles , pet corrector , etc. What i would like to see stopped as a trainer myself is trainers who use shock collars . I have one who I had a nice foundation for service work and when I moved away they hired a new trainer who is ” completing his service training ” with a shock collar and a prong collar on him . More and more people are registering their dogs as service dogs daily who really don’t need it , it’s been made way way too easy for them ….all with NO TRAINING behind them, it’s frustrating . I honestly believe trainers need to stop being so quick to bash each other over who is the better trainer ….yes some trainers got their start in a retail pet store BUT it doesn’t classify ALL of them as horrible and some are there still for lack of ability to take the leap like you have fully. Congratulations on much success and I hope it continues for you .
This video was not about bashing trainers but about educating the public that the industry isnt regulated and that ill equipped and uneducated “trainers” are taking on trying to train the equivalent of the neurosurgeons of the dog world with little to no experience and the public is clueless about it. At least two to three times a week I spend HOURS on the phone listening to someone cry about how they sold their ancestral land and their lovingly and meticulously restored antique car and then spent tens of thousands of dollars to try to keep their son alive only to be scammed by an uneducated, unscrupulous trainer for the last TWO YEARS OF THEIR LIVES. That call came in less than 72 hours ago from someone in Texas. Im tired of it and Im finally doing something about it.
Hello, even though I completely agree with Mary I understand where Christen is coming from. I myself was trained back in the day when Petsmart actually took the time to train their trainers, to take exams, to shadow under the main trainers until ready to take on classs on our own. I have had continued education (all on my own) have been training on my own for the last 4 yrs and continue to try and learn from trainers like Mary and take as many courses on behavioral modification without the use of primitive tools!!!
I have always thought there should be some sort of regulation for trainers and unfortunately there isn’t any!!