Tips on Choosing a Dog Obedience Trainer

Most pet owners are looking for basic obedience, which is what this article will focus on. Depending on where you obtained your dog, you may have been given information about obedience training classes sponsored by the local humane society. It is extremely important to follow up with training recommendations: Millions of dogs are surrendered each year because of unwanted behaviors that a modicum of training could have curtailed.

You can find training programs by calling local humane societies, word of mouth or by looking in the yellow pages. You can also visit the Association of Pet Dog Trainers on the Internet (www.apdt.com) and use the organization's "Trainer Search."

The APDT is an educational organization dedicated to promoting dog-friendly training methods. The organization encourages the use of reinforcements and positive training rather than coercive or punishment-based training.

For more information on choosing a trainer for your dog, please read Red Flags when Choosing a Trainer.