It’s January, the start of a new year and for some families, the start of a new journey with their recently adopted dog. It’s also national “Train Your Dog” month. But with so many trainers and training methods out there, how do you choose what’s right for you? Let me suggest some reasons for why you might want to hire a trainer who will come to you, instead of you having to travel to group lessons.
If you are looking for Dog Training in Roanoke, WE CAN HELP! (540) 353-2485
1. The dog will be trained in your home, where most of the inappropriate behaviors occur and where the dog spends most of his time.
Many dogs jump on guests when they come through the door. They may not perform this behavior when they’re in front of other dogs and their owners outside of the home. And you can’t effectively potty train a dog in a group class, especially if you want the dog to ring some bells or give another signal that he needs to go out.
2. Lessons are tailored to you and your dog’s needs.
If Fido already knows “sit”, then there’s no need to teach that from the beginning stages. In a group class, some learners may know that cue and some may not. So the trainer will have to teach it, while you and your dog might get bored with what may seem as wasted time.
3. You’ll get one-on-one training.
No need to compete with other owners and dogs for the trainer’s attention. You’ll have the trainer’s undivided attention for the entire lesson and can ask as many questions as you like and get an immediate answer.
4. You won’t have to worry about missing a lesson.
Going on vacation or sick one week, just call and ask to reschedule or postpone until the following week. If you’re in a group class and miss one or two lessons, you and your dog fall behind and will have to try and play catch up in future lessons.
5. Socializing and meets and greets can be built into a training program.
You can practice meeting and greeting people and dogs in a proper way, with one-on-one support from the trainer. Lessons can take place in a park, a busy neighborhood, or wherever “real life” situations take you.
6. Distractions can be tailored to the individual dog.
Got a puppy that likes to eat tissues that are dropped in the home? That can be trained away using an individual approach because in a group situation, your dog might be the only one with that particular behavior.
***Do you wish your dog would stop doing some of the things you don’t want, such as jumping, pulling on the leash, or going to the bathroom in the house? Tried training already and still having some trouble? Private training in the home is what we do here at The Well-Trained Dog & Pet Care. Contact us at (540) 353-2485 or info@thewell-trainedog.com. We can help! We serve Roanoke, Salem, Vinton, Bedford, Lynchburg, Blacksburg, Martinsville, and surrounding areas.