Dog owner and trainer communication MUST be a two-way street. No detours, road closures, or dead ends.
When trainers provide both group classes and private sessions, you must always keep them in the loop while training progresses. In order to make dog training successful, every client, is not only encouraged, but obligated to communicate their Diamond in The Ruff trainer, should they need any support while training plans are moving forward. Without open communication, it can lead your trainer to create the wrong training program for your dog, leaving training unsuccessful.
Getting to the point of hiring a trainer/behaviour specialist can be an exhausting and emotional road. That is why we want to outline why communication between all parties involved in dog training is so important. We want you to get it right the first time so you can spend more time enjoying your dog, instead of training them endlessly.
Why Dog Owner & Trainer Communication Is Important:
Trainers do not carry magic wands. Clickers are not remote controls.
Dog trainers work really hard and put themselves in dangerous situations. It’s crucial to lay your training goals out on the line when you’re in that first consultation. Keeping your professional dog trainer in the loop about how your dog is doing will allow them to make changes in the middle of already established criteria to keep the dogs moving forward, and ensuring their owners see progress.
More often than not, owners have already hired other trainers, had bad experiences, spent too much money and shed a lot of tears before they land on the right one. A discouraged owner whose bank account is now limited and stakes are higher, and quite often whose dog or dogs are much more dangerous leave your new trainer with the task of cleaning up previous trainers’ incompetencies.
Dog training really starts with the owner. Ensuring client success can ultimately lead to the success of the training outcomes. Being able to have that open communication with your trainer will ensure that you understand the importance of what is being taught so you can successfully lead your dog down the right path.
What Owners Can Expect From DITR Trainers
A professional dog trainer should take their job very seriously. In this field, the aim is to help as many dogs and humans as possible. You can expect a level of professionalism that will ensure the relationship between the trainer and the dog owner is always fair and comfortable. We pride ourselves on having a high level of education, experience, and credentials to back up why we are good at what we do.
You can expect kindness to both your dog and yourself and most importantly, a willingness to communicate before, during, and after sessions. Our trainers want to provide support and potential homework changes if we deem that necessary. You can expect our support 7 days a week, up to 12 hours a day.
If anything changes, or goes wrong with scheduling we will be sure to give you enough notice so schedules can be changed. We want to make sure we are able to make adjustments based on our clients’ needs to guarantee customer satisfaction.
Lastly, compassion. We want you to know that we understand you and whatever struggles you may have with your dog. It is not easy for an owner to live with a reactive dog or one with challenges requiring the help of a professional.
What Trainers Should Expect From Owners
Communication is the most important expectation. Keeping your trainer up to date on how things are going with your dog is crucial for each subsequent lesson. If your dog isn’t progressing as you hoped, do not be afraid to say that. This will just allow the trainer to make adjustments to the program so set you, and your dog up for success. Be transparent throughout the process.
A level of understanding for your dog trainer is also appreciated. Sometimes your trainer needs to commute from one location to another. Things are unpredictable such as traffic, weather changes etc. We will have someone call you if your trainer will be late for your session!
If you have a reactive dog, a dog with a bite history, or aggressive behaviour you must alert your trainer so the proper safety precautions can be put into place. This could mean that your dog requires a muzzle, a leash or a barrier before coming into contact with your trainer. Very understandably, many owners suffer from love blindness. No one wants to think that their dog would bite someone. Once body language is assessed, a safety protocol is put into place and training can begin.
The Overall Positive Impact
Dog owner & trainer communication is the hallmark of successful dog training results. Training is a collaborative effort. Here at Diamond In The Ruff, we do not offer “board and trains” for a reason. Training MUST include the owner in each and every session and communication between those sessions. Particularly when dealing with challenges such as dog, dog/dog or dog/human reactivity.
We want you and your dog to be happy and satisfied with the service you get, and the outcomes you desire.
If your dog is in need of a refresher or requires a full training package, do not hesitate to contact us today!
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