Many average trainers teach "average group classes," charge you an
"average price" and have, well... that "average" knowledge and skill
about dogs, dog training, dog behavior and canine psychology. Most
owners who don't know better or who don't really care about these facts,
just settle with such trainers and end up with "average results" or
even worse-NO RESULTS-in training their dogs! In contrast, the Master
Minds I'll be describing in this chapter aren't your average at all and
are known to beat the odds.
So
who emerges from the pack? There is an amazing energy and spirit about
these individuals which you'll notice right away that goes far beyond
dog training. In fact, they know it is much more than dealing with dogs,
and this is where I'll open your eyes to the traits and qualities of
the SMARTEST and the most successful dog experts in the business.
Because of their knowledge, skill and persona, they are not only making
it--but making it big with class and integrity. Again, don't forget that
I'm referring to the SMARTEST, so you don't think that they just got
lucky for being at the "right place," at the "right time" or by meeting
the "right person." Even if that was the case for a few to some degree,
before you know it, they took over and kept on paddling on their own.
I
learned a long time ago that if you want to get better in anything, you
have to put your ego aside and learn from much better and smarter minds
than yourself.
Sometimes this simply came down to hiring the best
expert money can buy. (I've also learned a lot from the
worst-of-the-worst. After all, this is where you learn what NOT to do.)
After studying those who were considered to be as the "real deal," I've
noticed that they all came from a totally different class and mentality,
and it's no wonder why their success rate was so hard to ignore. When
put through the test, they all possessed these ten qualities about them:
1. They Care about You, Your Dog and Their Reputation
You
see, it's not always about how much you know or how great you are, but
it is also about how much you "care." This simply means these trainers
are truly nice people. The old saying, "nice guys finish last," isn't
their motto. Studies have shown that nice people live longer, are
happier, get more referrals, are always surrounded by friends and
relatives, rarely get sued, and rarely get killed. Some may also have a
great sense of humor. Sorry, only some. We all know someone with a sense
of humor and know that this shows that they love what they do, don't
let things bother them as much, and care to make others if not laugh, at
least smile here and there. Why the majority of dog trainers are so
rude, mean, and disrespectful and act like Mr./Mrs. Know-It-All, is
beyond me. It's no secret that most of the time you can tell a lot about
someone the minute you talk to them on the phone or in person. That
again is, if, you are even able to reach any of them on the phone. Which
brings up the fact of caring, once again.
Those who truly CARE
not only will get back to you, but often try to reach you immediately.
They know that you may need help right away!! You'll soon find out that
most dog trainers leave you hanging and you start to grow gray hair
waiting for a call back or an e-mail.
Once you are finally able to
get a live person on the phone, make sure you get a good vibe from the
very start, if not, why bother? This simply means no matter how good
they may be, you will be stuck with a jerk, psycho, weirdo, nut job and
the list goes on and on. Women are much better than men with their
intuition. They say, "It has to feel right." Or "I didn't get a good
vibe from him/her." If it the person makes you feel uncomfortable by
being too pushy, rude, condescending, or there is something you don't
like about him/her, then you could be stuck with this person in your
home, in private, or for six to eight weeks down the line.
Top
trainers usually answer your tough questions with patience and respect
and don't mind or get offended by how much you challenge their knowledge
or expertise. These individuals don't just deliver, but often
OVER-deliver. This is because they care about their image and their
reputation and truly want to stand out from the pack. They know going
that extra mile WILL get them that extra attention. After all, how many
times have you hired a painter, a contractor, an attorney, or even a
babysitter who disappointed you with their poor work ethics? They did a
poor job or didn't care much. As some say, "They just go with the flow,"
and never care about any constructive criticism from ANYONE. You simply
don't see that "wow factor" or that "pizzazz" in their work. Noooooooo,
I didn't say pizza again. So put down the Parmesan cheese.
If
you've already hired a dog trainer in the past, you probably went out of
your way to make sure you were hiring a "pro," just to find out that
they were definitely a "pro" but also a pro in doing a lousy job or a
pro in--"ripping you off!" How fast someone gets back to you, or even
if, they even bother to get back to you are all the qualities you should
look for. For example, a lot of group class trainers if they don't have
a class starting soon, or their class happens to be full, won't even
bother to call you back. They even get lazy to mention this on their
answering machine. This would never happen with those who actually care
about you and your dog.
Once you get to actually talk to these
individuals, you can't help it but notice how honest, caring, genuine,
and professional they come across.
Whether it is in person, on the
phone, or by e-mail, the ones who know they are on top of their game
never sound pushy or desperate. In fact, they know not everyone
recognizes, appreciates, or even deserves the very best. This is just a
fact of life. Those who are among the best-of-the-best in the world of
dog training, are considered to be as remarkable teachers/counselors and
don't get mad when I add this-even great therapists. The truth is, that
the majority of dog owners have no technique, get nervous, act tense,
are too harsh with their dog, get too loud, or they can't get firm
enough if and when needed. And what's even more sad is none of the
trainers who they even hired in the past, bothered to point out their
GOOD qualities either. Everybody knows it's not that hard to point out
someone's weaknesses. What makes a good trainer brilliant is his/her
ability to praise the owners' good habits while correcting their
mistakes in a courteous manner. Unfortunately the majority of dog
trainers lack people skills and are famous for treating the owners like
dogs. I had to learn this the hard way. So the ones that DO make a
positive impact among dog owners are the ones that know there is a
difference between insulting someone and giving a critique.
You
see, there are thousands of great "trainers" out there, thousands--but
only a few great "instructors!" Training and teaching the owners is
where lies the real challenge.
2. Their Training Method Is Backed by Common Sense
As
a writer I hate saying this, but please don't believe everything you
read-especially things that just don't make any sense. If you don't see
any logic or rationality behind it, how do you suppose your poor dog is
going to make any sense out of it? Here's an example. I have a client
who owns a Cocker Spaniel that was vicious toward dogs and children. The
behaviorists advised her to do lots of parallel walks with bag of
treats to use when she ran into other dogs and kids. The dog would stop
eating the treats and STILL lunge at any dog they encountered. I guess
he saw them as a dessert after those yummy treats. Again, there was no
common sense behind the behaviorist's advice, was there?
When in doubt, always ask yourself: Does this seem rational? Am I getting anywhere with this? Are people going to laugh at me?
Even
with what you read in my book or on my website, observe it with an open
mind and maybe TRY it first, and then be the judge. Once you try
something, then you can be certain whether it did or did not work for
you and your dog. Otherwise you are just relying on assumptions instead
of facts. The same rule applies if you are instructed by your trainer,
see it on television, were instructed by your trainer in a group class,
or even if it comes from someone with a Ph.D. you need to stop and ask
yourself where's the logic and practicality behind their advice? Be
smart about it and don't let others brainwash you by trying methods that
have no rationality to support them. Smart trainers don't mind asking
you, "Does this make sense to you?" or "Do you see the logic behind what
we are trying to accomplish?" Again, if it doesn't make any sense,
please don't make a fool out of yourself.
Smart Dogs - Dumb Trainers:
Trainers
who recommend that you should bark at your dog, growl at your dog, yelp
like a dog, or ignore your dog's bad habits such as jumping up on you,
barking at you, don't make sense and their tactics won't work. If they
do, knock yourself out. Folks, we were taught to use common sense from a
very early age in kindergarten. In case you forgot, the teaching was:
"Stop
and Think." It wasn't "Go for it Chopper! Then we'll think of the
consequence." (Now for some of us, getting the lesson afterward works
much better. I guess as long as we "get it" that's all it really
matters, doesn't it?)
3. They Have an Uncanny Ability to Pay Attention to Details
Yes,
details my dog-loving friend. These experts are like a sponge and
absorb everything and hardly miss even the smallest details. ( I've been
told that I'm like that. Just in case it will come as a shock for those
of you who prefer to hire me in person.) Whether people request that I
go to them or if they prefer to send their dogs to me to be trained or
rehabilitated, like a skilled crime scene investigator, I'll ask
questions and then observe everything for myself, and I do mean
EVERYTHING. By now, you should have gotten an idea of what I'm referring
to by paying attention to details. If not, please be sure to read the
chapter on (Questions you need to ask before hiring ANY expert.) But let
me be a bit specific. I observe your technique, your posture, voice
tone, attitude and overall perception. Are you firm, easy-going, loud,
harsh, stubborn or depending on your mood, a mixture of all? How about
too nervous, scared or maybe you think that saying "NO" to your dog
might hurt his feelings and we may never see that tail wag again?
The
importance of such details is why I cannot emphasize enough how crucial
working with an expert in "private" really is. Because of my attention
to details, even if I train your dog WITHOUT your involvement, I'll
still manage to accomplish much more compared to a group class full of
twenty dogs.
All the topnotch trainers you study, you'll notice
that every single one of them have trained their own dogs WITHOUT any
distractions first. So why should it be any different with you?
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