Trainer qualifications

[stevalnamechanger]

What specific qualifications do you recommend I look out for / training someone has done? Thanks

It depends on what you want the training for. Standard puppy training? Behavioural issues? Other people on this board know much more about those sorts of qualifications than I do.

For my part, I like to look at a trainer's dogs and how well-mannered, happy and responsive they are. The next priority is what the trainer has done with their dogs; if you're interested in agility or gundog work or whatever, you'll do best with someone who specialises in that.

One of the best trainers I've ever had the pleasure of working with has competed with gundogs at a high level (and won), and was qualified to instruct people (HGV drivers - he's busy at the moment), and I don't think he has any dog training qualifications. But he took the puppy group at the club I belong too and the whole session was an absolute blast - happy dogs, happy people, and he read my young dog brilliantly. He had really intelligent and fun solutions to problems.

So while qualifications can be a really useful yardstick, IMO they're not the be all and end all.

In the UK qualifications that you may see and are okish are IMDT, APDT, Pro Dog Trainer, Victoria Stillwell Graduate. They should be positive reward based trainers but experience may be limited so feel free to quiz them.

If doing dog sport the trainer should at some point have competed at high level in that sport and again quiz for training ethics. Scentwork has become a really dodgy area with trainers popping up all over the place who have done a limited 2 day training course. For scentwork trainer I would always look for operational background. Agility again look for a trainer with experience at competing at a high level avoid fun agility clubs/ lessons like the plague.

Gundog trainers good luck with finding any qualifications! Many of these trainers are still stuck on the dark ages. There is a face book for positive gundog trainers and that is a good place to start.

For Behavioural work the behaviourist should have a masters qualification in animal behaviour (otherwise they are a trainer). Organisations suchs APBC membership at a minimum.

If you are looking to get into dog training then experience and shadowing, working with rescues, and hours in the saddle is so important. When you have got this you can then look into getting the qualifications.

My gundog trainer had no qualifications but had competed at international level. He was a dream to work with. As a PP said, see what their dogs are like and the methods they employ. A local 'behaviourist' had done an online course in a foreign country, her dogs behaved appallingly and the way she taught other people was several decades behind current thinking.