Hiring a dog trainer- Where do I start?

The first step is to determine what type of training you and your dog need. By knowing precisely what you want to achieve with your dog, you know where you have to concentrate your efforts. There are several categories of dog training:

1. Agility. Sport in which dogs move through a series of obstacles.

2. Behavior modification. A form of training that uses techniques to alter unwanted or maladaptive behavior patterns (aggression, barking, chewing, anxiety, phobias, etc)

3. Basic obedience. The process by which a dog responds to basic control commands such as sit, wait, stay, down and come.

4. Obedience trials. Competitive sports in which dogs must perfectly execute a predefined set of tasks. Awards (known as obedience titles) are granted by different organizations.

Dogs can also be trained to help people with disabilities (known as service dogs), to serve as companions in hospitals and nursing homes (known as therapy dogs) and you can even train a dog protect you and your home.