LoveToKnow Dogs:Custom Training Dogs

From LoveToKnow Dogs

Past Questions

Question: There are many trainers in our area who train hunting digs, but no trainers for family dogs. I have trained my own , but would like to become a certified trainer. Where can I go to school to do so? I live in Central Minnesota. - Posted by: nordlakeart@yahoo.com

Answer: Hi Midge,

Dog training can be a very satisfying career. Here are some links to dog training schools in Minnesota. Some of these establishments may offer trainer certification courses on a limited basis, but if not, at least you can ask where they received their own certification. This will hopefully narrow your search. You might also want to check with local colleges to find out if any animal behavior courses are offered.

Thanks for your question, and good luck! - posted by:Kelly

Question: I'm not sure if my dog will be as aggressive as needed if a intruder is in my home, but he does constantly whine a lot. What am I doing wrong? - Posted by: ridman500@yahoo.com

Answer: Hi Jeff,

The average family pet is normally not very aggressive at all, nor would you really want him to be. Any person your dog does not know is an intruder in his eyes. He won't be able to distinguish an extended family member from a house breaker, so you wouldn't him to respond aggressively and possiblly hurt an innocent party. A dog also stands a good chance of being seriously injured in an altercation with an intruder, so this is something else to take into consideration.

Dogs known as "protection dogs" are typically raised and carefully trained by professionals to respond in a predictable way to intruders and aggressors. In many cases, the dog needs to receive a direct command from his master before he is allowed to advance beyond barking.

My best advice is to accept your dog as he is now, and if you're truly interested in a protection dog, contact a training facility directly. A local trainer in your area may be able to direct you to a protection service if he/she doesn't actually offer that service.

Thanks for your question. - posted by:Kelly

Question: Hi, I'd like to do some basic obedience with my two Beagle mixes. However, they have not been well socialized with other dogs and it's hard for me to get their attention when others are around. What's a good way to get them socialized, and would some place like Petsmart and their basic obedience class be a good place to start? Thanks! - Posted by: ewestly@gmail.com

Answer: Hi Erin,

You may want to begin with a basic socialization class. How old are your dogs? Many socialization classes are geared for puppies, but your local dog training school may offer classes for adults as well. This would expose your dogs to other dogs and people in a less formal structure than an obedience class.

Your next step would be obedience, and the first lesson is actually teaching your dog to pay attention to you and to tune out other distractions. This would be ideal for your needs.

As for Petsmart, I haven't experienced one of their training courses. However, in my opinion, you might be better off finding a class through your local kennel club or a full-time dog training facility. The instructors you'll find in these situations are full-time dog people. Training is not a sideline to selling products. You can check out all of these venues to see which will best suit your needs.

Thanks for your questions. :) - posted by:Kelly