Training Dogs and Their People – Fort Worth Dog Training Blog

When people learn and enroll themselves and their dogs in my Fort Worth dog training programs, they soon find out that while plenty of dog training takes place, a huge portion of the protocol is also people training. Dogs are smart and can learn new behaviors quickly, but their success is also dependent on their people’s efforts and general consistency.

Fort Worth Dog Training - Heart of Texas Dog Training One of the benefits of my in-home dog training programs is that the owners are involved and responsible for their dogs and their behavioral progress. While it might sound easier to just send your dog off to a trainer and wait a few weeks to get your dog back fully trained, there’s a huge risk when it comes to your dog’s ability to maintain the good behavior. Or, to put it more accurately, it is more about the owner’s ability to maintain the dog’s training once the dog is returned home.

In my dog training programs, dogs not only learn better habits and more appropriate behaviors, but the owners do the same exact thing for themselves! Many dog owners who are seeking out professional dog trainers are often times people who have tried to work with their dogs (on their own or even with other trainers), and are left scratching their heads and wondering how to fix their dog’s poor behavior patterns. My job as a professional dog trainer comprises of the following:

1. Identifying the root cause(s) of the dog’s behavioral problems and setting up a reward-based system where the dog can learn better, alternative behaviors, gain more confidence and calmness, and ultimately, I am dissuading them away from the former behaviors using rewards and consistent communication.

2. Teaching the owner how to create a training lifestyle where both human and dog can thrive in. Creating a success-driven environment will build confidence for both dog and owner, and will allow them to quickly experience the benefits of training.

3. Along with environment, there are training exercises, handling exercises, and communication signals/commands that are taught to the owner, and it is their job to continuously employ these for their dog so that the dog truly learns and everyone achieves long-lasting results.

I have no doubt that I can take a client’s dog home with me, train him/her, and return the dog fully-trained. The problem though, is that the owner may not have established themselves as a competent leader and handler of their own dog, and if the dog can sense the owner is unsure or inconsistent, the dog will not progress further, and will most likely regress and cause additional behavior problems! This is why that while I call myself a dog trainer, I always let all my potential clients know: dog training is owner training as well! If owners are not committed to being trained themselves and doing hard work for their dog, then they are wasting their time and setting their dogs up for possible failure. Who wants that?!

If you are searching for dog training that is about setting your dog up for success and giving you as the owner the necessary tools and knowledge to help your dog, then call us at 800-649-7297!