Important Note Please note that any method of training that involves physical force, intimidation or fear or involves throwing things at or toward the dog, yanking the dog, choking the dog or using electric shock (regardless of how mild) can cause behavior problems to worsen and can be dangerous to family members. For example if the dog is frightened or intimidated in the presence of a child he may associate these negative feelings with the child, increasing the chances of a bite. Please visit our blog for more information from experts (including the American Veterinary Society for Animal Behavior) on why you should avoid dog trainers that rely on intimidation and dominance in training. | Choosing a Professional To Help You
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Not all dog trainers are specialists in dog behavior, so ask to make sure the person you choose has experience in dealing with the problem you need to solve. Take your dog to the vet to determine if an underlying medical problem is influencing the dog's behavior. Dog training and dog behavior consulting are unregulated so it is up to you to decide whether the professional that you choose is qualified. If your dog is aggressive with other dogs, be sure to mention this so that you can have private lessons prior to enrolling your dog in a group class. Talk to more than one person if you can before you choose. Be sure that you understand their methods. Be sure that they will use a positive reinforcement-based approach.