I’ve said it before and I’m going to say it again: in the United States, dog training is an unregulated profession. It’s looking like the Wild West out there in the world of dog training today.
Buyer beware. That’s you, the novice dog guardian, in the market for dog-training services.
You’ll be spending money for those services and there’s a lot of competition for your business.
I read the ads you read, I check the references, I confirm the claims. I imagine how confusing, how maddening, it must be for a beginner to make choices based on advertising from for-profit dog-training services when, because you are a beginner, you know very little about what’s being offered.
You have to wonder: What does that mean, why is it important, how do I know it’s true?
I asked dog professionals and friends online to help with some simple explanations:
“What words used in a sales pitch (ad, About, etc.) are red flags to you that the training offered will be punitive (punishment, force, fear)? What words warn you that the training won’t be positive?”
They answered with some strong suggestions of red flags warning of punitive training.
Jill Gibbs (Montana) E-collar included with first session.
Mandy Collins (United Kingdom) Guaranteed results. In just one session. Energy. Stubborn. Correct/correction.
Bryn Souza (Massachusetts) Dominance.
Amy Suggars (Ohio) Direct off the website from a trainer in my area: “Simple control at the push of a button!”
Carol Duncan (Texas) Remote.
Stephanie Nilles (Washington) “Balanced”—code for a little shock or jerk of a prong collar and a little treat every now and again. Keeping the balance.
Photo by Erin Saywell
Janet Velenovsky (Virginia) ALPHA.
Jessica Stinson Hudson (Alabama) Guarantees. Promising training in one session. Boasting they don’t use treats or clickers or “fad” methods. Advertising a “system” or trademarked training method. “Natural” (often referring to corrections like a mother dog’s). Use of terms like “dominance,” “alpha,” “pack leader,” “boss,” and outdated theories such as dogs eating last). Boasting 100% reliable off-leash “take your dog anywhere” training. Use of corrections, punishment, leash “communication” (not always a red flag but poor use of terminology). Or if the only credentials are “I love dogs and have owned them my whole life.”
Ann McQuillen (California) Alpha.
Sarah Richardson (California) Balanced, leadership, leader dominance, dominance, submissive, energy, follow, command, boss, obedient, obey, obedience (or any variation). No food, alpha. ‘Is your dog being stubborn, not respecting you as the alpha leader you need to be? Our fast, natural, balanced, and 100 percent guaranteed-for-life patented methods will make your dog the submissive and obedient pet you deserve. Your commands will work. The first time! No need for food bribes as our training collars work remotely, every time.’ Blah blah blah …
Alisha Ardiana (California) Energy, command, control, food bribes, leadership, pack leader, authority, reprimands, corrections. I also have concerns when they insist that the issues can be resolved only through an extremely expensive board and train. Can we also talk about what is lacking? Credentials. Certification. Scientific education. Degrees. Listing experience makes no sense to me. I’ve had teeth my entire life, it doesn’t make me a dentist.
Dianna Stearns (Maryland) “Balanced trainer.”
Ray Little (Pennsylvania) Good thing to ask them what that means. Most don’t really know.
Teresa Tuttle (Texas) A local trainer: “We do not work with dogs on anxiety medication.” “We can fix any problem.”
Jeanne Brennan (California) Any time the ad has old-school words like dominance, pack, and leader. I’ve also seen danger phrases like “Your dog wants to please you.” I know that can appeal to owners. I also know the truth of letting owners know your dog does what works for them can go over like a lead balloon.
Jorge Melara (Wisconsin) Alpha, energy, pack, command, guarantee, stimulation collar, correction.
Telani Lasoleille (Tennessee) Sadly, ‘science-based’ is becoming a red flag: “We use science-based techniques to train your dog, using all four quadrants.” But also all the other red flags mentioned.
Meira Frankl Trainer (Quebec) All of the mentioned words. The other flags I teach potential clients are words or phrases such as: boot camp, master trainer(s), training leads/leashes. Teaching a dog that he/she is wrong. (Dogs have no morality; morality is a human construct that varies from culture to culture.) There are a number of trainers in my area who are balanced/compulsion trainers but claim to use positive reinforcement (key words). Giving ridiculous time frames. ‘Obedient Dog in just 30 days!’
Melissa McCue-McGrath (Massachusetts) Not always, but often: K9; also, “balanced” or “static shock”; oooh, alpha. Submissive. I guess I should create a dictionary, huh?
Adrienne Critchlow (United Kingdom) The phrase “We use the training method that is appropriate for each dog we work with” always rings alarm bells for me. Also “guaranteed results [within a specified timeframe]” and “We use all four quadrants in training.”
Ray Little “Obey,” “follow your command,” “do your bidding” or any qualitative language such as eliminate “bad” behaviors. Anyone promising quick or guaranteed results or speaks of your pets as subordinate or subservient. Many trainers claimed to be “behaviorists,” which is a clue to look for credentials proving such.
Many unqualified trainers cannot tell you how they plan to teach your dog. They simply emphasize obedience and elimination of bad behaviors. You want them to articulate how they will accomplish this. Cryptic or nebulous promises like “proven methods,” “our unique approach,” and “we’ll show you the secret” always throw up a red flag for me. Any methods that sound forceful or employ punishment as a primary method, and anything that makes a pet parent uncomfortable or nervous. Anything comparing dogs to wolves or as thinking like wolves.
Brae Raphael (Oregon) Self-taught.
Kelly Byam (California) Alpha.
Clair Eccles (United Kingdom) Guaranteed results, pack leader; no bull, no frills; train the dog in front of you, certain tools for certain dogs.
Erin Saywell (Indiana) “State-of-mind.”
Frances Dauster (Alabama) “Every dog learns differently” and “We customize training to your dog” always send me searching for more info on their website. Could be good, could be bad. Also, stock photos are a huge flag for me. Don’t have pics of your own clients? Why???
Claudia Black-Kalinsky (New Hampshire)”Balanced,” “no treats,” “pack leader.”
Sarah Richardson Behavioralist.
Debby McMullen Yeeeeeesssssssss!
Rebekah Piedad Or even “behaviorist” when they don’t actually have those credentials.
Sarah Richardson True, but it shows their ignorance even more when they can’t even use the word properly. Always makes me want to laugh-cry-tear my hair out.
Rebekah Piedad Totally agree!
Dianna Stearns Yep. There is no such thing!
September B. Morn (Washington) Guaranteed results.
Donna Weidert (Washington) “Works on every dog.”
Shelly Keel (Idaho) Quick, easy, guaranteed, command. Correction, alpha, pack, leader, balanced.
Barbara Miller (Missouri) Teach “commands,” simple “corrections.”
Jane Finneran (North Carolina) Guaranteed results.
Lynn Brezina (Illinois) Balanced training.
Karen DiCostanzo (Kansas) Command, respect, leadership, relationship training, dominance.
Debby McMullen (Pennsylvania) Any franchise; 99.9% are punishment-based and few if any “trainers,” have an actual education in behavior. They are usually marketing experts.
The words: stubborn, dominant, alpha, stim-collar/e-collar, “training” collar, control, obedient, fix, guarantee, pack, leader, commands, correction, boot camp, balanced, prong/pinch/choke collar.
Now for credentials—the word “certified” is meaningless. Where the certification comes from is what matters. What professional organizations are they affiliated with? Do they use science-based or science-supported? Those are two different things. Anyone calling themselves master trainer, as mentioned above.
I also think it’s a huge red flag when somebody offers a free consultation because quality consultants/trainers simply can’t do that unless they have their own facility and then it’s a “Come to me, you get 15 minutes” and that’s it. Generally, the in-home free consultations are so they can sell you a very expensive shock-collar package.
Red flags warn of what one might expect. I would hope that the red flags many of the commenters have addressed in their answers warn of dishonesty and illusion. These flags say, “Stay away—danger.” Look elsewhere for the positive training that you want both for your dog and for your family.
