What is the real cost factor when you seek a training program or service?
Have you thought about what the real value is in having your dog professional trained?
The most expensive training is the program which does not meet or exceed your expectations! The cost of a program is not necessarily the value of the program when you weigh in all the factors.
What is your time worth?
The program which requires many hours to achieve the simplest results is an expense of your valuable time.
What does the training give you as an end product?
A program which limits the end result by giving you a dog who can only do commands in a specific setting is incomplete.
How hard is it to follow through with what you have learned?
Training that requires you to do a lot fussing to keep the dogs attention when in distraction has no immediate value for you. In distraction is when the training should be the easiest for you to follow through with.
It is important for you to realize when you set out to find a suitable training program, that you are not buying commands. Sit only as good as the end result. Sitting in your kitchen is not the same as sitting in the Vets office or at a family picnic or for safety. Anyone can teach a dog to sit rather quickly, but, getting your dog to sit at a distance with distraction as a life saver is not the same command. Yet the greatest value for you and your dog is being able sit when it matters the most for safety.
You are really buying the trainers skill, years of experience with varied dog personalities and temperament handling , teaching abilities, follow up, proving exposure and full spectrum of a well behaved and social acceptable dog. Basically, you are buying the services of someone who is capable of teaching you as well as you dog and creating effective results in a timely manner.
What is a timely manner? Within 12 weeks your dogs should: have manners, problems solved, be able to walk on leash around high distractions (dogs running and playing) sit and down (next to and at a distance on command from play), come off leash with high distraction and from large active group play, go to place (and stay there).
Whatever your goal, it is important for you to be sure that the results exceed your expectations!
Training cannot take place in a bubble. Our dogs live in alternating environments.
In the house, behaviors can take on one form, while outside on the street learning must address real life concerns and foundation.
Most any dog can be taught in isolated circumstance to follow commands easily. Those same commands will become non functional when the dog is faced with the distractions of real life.
So if you are looking for training based on cost of programs, evaluate what the real cost may be for your time, end result, functional use and finally the safety of your dog.
1 comment:
I have personally found that if it wasn't for proper training the dog that I rescued, Patch, would of been euthanized. And without the guidance of a professional my efforts in itself would of been in vain. So many times pet owners believe that they know what their dog needs . But the reality of it is that the owners are doing what they need, not the dogs needs. If your pet is part of your "family " wouldn't you want to do all that you could for your " families " safety.
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