Obedience

We understand that we are not the only dog trainers in the Amarillo & Lubbock area. We wrote this post to help you do your research and find the best dog trainer possible for your needs. It’s not always us. We have made a video for you (click here to skip reading) of 5 things to help you choose the right dog trainer and we’ve summarized the points below.

You have a handful of other choices to choose from and we encourage you to follow our 1st tip for choosing a dog trainer which is to…

Do Your Homework!

Look at the company’s website, social media, videos and reviews. This will tell you a lot about how these dog trainers actually train the dogs they work with and how they interact with clients. You want to look for consistency in the reviews, the videos and the interactions to clients. With the internet it’s really hard for a bad company to hide they are bad, you just need to look. After all this is your family member and you want to make sure they are with the best dog trainer possible!

Does the Trainer Send Videos?

See if the company will send you videos of previous dogs in action to see how they interact with the dogs. Look for the different training environments in the videos to understand their training process. Ask the company if they send videos of your dog throughout the 2-3 week training process. Will the trainers be available via text or call throughout the training process? Proven K9 posts videos of all pet dogs on our Facebook page throughout the training process and we have videos on our youtube page!

What is the Boarding Environment Like?

Ask the company to set up an appointment to see the facility. Ask where your dog will be kept and daily routine throughout the training process. Check the quality of food they are providing and feeding schedule. If accidents happen, ask the company how emergencies are handled. Are they trained and certified to deal with emergencies? A trainer’s priority should not only be training the dogs but also maintaining the health and safety of the dogs in their care.

What is the Training Methodology?

Purely Positive (Treats and love) works to gain trust with the dog but is not the only method used by Proven K9 Training. Purely Positive is good for gaining the trust of the dog but in reality it is a myth. It is best to have a balanced training method. Using eCollars and prong collars are very effective if they are used correctly. Having a good tool mix is important because dogs learn and respond in different ways. Look for transparency from companies in their training methods.

What is the Price?

You’ve probably heard this before “You get what you pay for”. Be leery of 2-3 week Board and Train programs for $300-$400. This price does not reflect confidence in the trainer’s methods. Look for true passion from the trainers. Do they really enjoy the work they do or are they just trying to make a buck. Proven K9 shows clients how to implement training methods into daily routine to keep structure for the dogs for life. We offer a lot of extra value outside of just “training the dog” and we actually want you to take advantage of what we can offer you!

Those are our tips for choosing the right dog trainer. Here’s a video of Owner JJ explaining why in a bit more detail, enjoy and happy dog trainer hunting. If you think you’ve already found the perfect dog trainer, just fill out our contact form on this page or give us a call at 806-410-0374