Must Love Dogs

I am a dog lover, and being a dog trainer I don't think that is a surprise to people when I say that - all though I think some people would classify me as more of the crazy dog lady than just a mere dog lover.  There is a secret to being a dog trainer however that some people don't really think about - to be a good dog trainer you must love people.

People are the key to successful dog training - if they are uncommitted or unwilling to follow the training program then progress is not made and the dog will continue with it's poor behaviour.  There is nothing more trilling for me as a dog trainer that to see an owner increase their bond with their dog through training - especially clicker training where we build focus and attention as well as obedience.

As a dog owner you have to figure out how to motivate your dog to be successful at training. For a dog trainer we have to think of ways to motivate both handler and dog to help them get to where they want to be.  Dog Training is a people business, the digs catch on pretty quick, the people can take a little longer - they have ingrained habits from years of dog handling - as a Dog Trainer we need to help some dog owners by guiding them to an easier way of interacting with their dogs.

So while I must love dogs, I also have to love people in order to get their dogs to thrive.