Okay im 16 years old and i would like to start a dog training class in my area, the area is relitivly small (500 people) but there are lots of dogs. Ive trained my 7 month old ACD everything from the basics, to getting me a drink (can) from the fridge. I can bring him any where off leash, there can be a cat running around other dogs, running kids etc. and he always maintains eye contact. Ive worked with dogs (aggressive, shy, fear aggressive, hyper active, etc) at the local spca. Id like to one day be a pro dog trainer. Ive got a keen interest in dogs. I dont agree with the "do something get a treat" training. I want the dog to repond to the OWNER. Not the food or me. I would have the owners work with there dogs, and use my dog as a demo dog, to show them how a certain thing is done. If they need help, i would help them. I would have a class of maybe 6 dogs. No female in heat. Only one intact male allowed. Training tools (prongs, chokers etc) are alowed, under supervision and only if the dog needs it.
What do you think? anything i should add?! thank you for your opinions.
Training A Dog - Fundamental Dog Training - How-To
Recommended Answer:There is a saying that "one swallow does not make a summer" (possibly slightly misquoted). Your dog is very young, consequently he is keen to learn, hopefully he will mature into a well adjusted and well trained dog. Lots of people go to training classes and they expect the trainer to resolve all of their problems. I have heard dog owners say "I have taken my dog to six classes and it has not helped". They blame the trainer and do not appreciate that they must practise what they are taught EVERY day.
Using your dog as a demo dog is a good idea; however you cannot apply the same training methods to every dog. I know a man who does not agree with this, he buys a puppy and if it does not comply with his training methods, he sells the puppy. Although I deplore this, the dogs which comply with his "dyed in the wool" methods are outstanding.
I think that your age is against you, the adults and inexperienced dog owners won't listen and they will blame you if their dog does not improve. The vast majority of dog owners will not practise what they are taught at a class.
You will need to book a venue, before you advertise classes and this could be expensive. What happens if you book a venue and you don't get anyone to join your class? Aim low, avoid expense and problems, take one dog on at a time. Presumably you have enough space at home to cope with just one pupil or you could look for an enclosed fenced area which you can use.
Go to your local training classes and hit on a handler with a dog who shows promise. Approach this handler and tell them that you would like to help them. This may result in your first pupil. For the first two sessions try to praise their efforts to give them confidence. Then when they come for the third session have a typed list of how to improve their dog's performance. Unfortunately because of your age, you cannot charge for helping people to train their dogs
For now, sit at your computer and type out how to train a dog to do various things. Just think about what most owners want their dogs to do. There are simple things like retrieving, jumping into a car and walking at heel. Find out what people want to do with their dogs and think how you could help them.
The following is just for fun.
HOW TO GET A URINE SAMPLE FOR THE VET.
Some time ago I saw a zoo keeper on television holding a broom shank with a bucket attached to the end. He placed the bucket under a hippopotamus whilst it was urinating in full flow. He did this to get a sample for the vet at the Zoo.
In the past I have spent hours trying to catch a pee from my dogs using a shallow dish. In the normal course of events the dog stops peeing and runs to a different part of the garden and does one, then I have had to wait until the next time and try again. Even with success I have had it all over my hands.
I was inspired by the zoo keeper and took a soup ladle, my clicker and treats into the garden
This is how I did it with my bitches and a nine year old MALE Dalmatian.
Touch your dog's body with the soup ladle click and treat. Keep repeating this and touch various parts of the body with the ladle, every time you do so click and treat.
Ultimately you touch your dogs” you know what” with the soup ladle and you click and treat. If your dog is quite happy for you to do this, do so on a regular basis.
Eventually, you will be able to get a sample when your dog is in full flow, click and treat. DO THIS EVERY SO OFTEN AND WHEN YOUR VET ASKS FOR A SAMPLE IT'S EASY.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME TO MY HOUSE FOR LUNCH I MAKE A WONDERFUL SOUP.
Ultimately you may be able to cope with a training class, however you will need insurance etc., and there is no one who will insure a sixteen year old. At this stage I will criticize some aspects of your training. Neither Lassie nor Rin Tin Tin could be trusted to walk of lead, please don't do this you are playing Russian roulette with your dogs safety. Neither should you resort to prong collars.
Using Dog Training Collars to Train Your Dog
- You are not old enough to teach, nor do you have the expertise needed to be a trainer. I doubt that you have the money to purchase a liability insurance policy, to cover you. I doubt that you are old enough to get a business license, nor be bonded.
- as long as you can effectively train them... Yes! This will also help to socialize them and to desensitize them to certain enviroments
- MINORS can't handle dogs!
MINORS can't run businesses! RENT space,BUY insurance....ruin people's dogs
MINORS need to do their homework...grow up,get a real job,save up....move OUT......TITLE dogs in REAL events.
That'll take a decade or two.
- to be honest yes if you can teach them all that stuff
- Have an open mind. At 16, you can still learn a lot, and by scrapping positive reinforcement as a training method shows that you don't really understand it. Do you think they use prong collars on sea lions or dolphins to train? Try correcting a great ape into presenting its foot for a vet exam. Can't do it.
Learn more, and don't think you know it all. A positively reinforced dog is happier and less intimidated than a traditionally trained one. Sure, you can correct a dog into doing what you want. But at a cost.
- No one is going to trust a SIXTEEN year old with ANY type of training, let alone punishment based training using Prong and SLIP (not "choker") collars. Period. You have no where NEAR enough real world experience to be able to assure anyone that they would be SAFE under your "care." Or that their dogs would be.
You don't have enough PRACTICAL, HANDS ON experience under someone using YOUR methods. You could seriously injure a dog, a person, or both simply because of that little fact. You need to apprentice under several trainers and behaviorists. Not just one, not just "volunteer work", not just training your own dog.
Sorry.
PS - From a legal aspect you are UNABLE to "run" any type of training business. You cannot sign any sort of legally binding contracts. You cannot purchase insurance (which WOULD be needed.)
Focus on finishing high school. Find a trainer/behaviorist to mentor under. Then worry about training other peoples dogs for a fee... or even free.
- I do think you should become certified, have legal backing, etc. But since you are a minor, you may not legally be able to do this. Too risky. As for the dog being off leash, I don't encourage that at all since the laws in most areas state that a dog is to be leashed regardless of how well trained it is. Only when a dog is in a fence or in some type of building should it be off leash
"Only one intact male allowed. " Why? If no females are in heat, it won't matter. Just because other intact male dogs are around doesn't mean anything. If all dogs are on the leash during obedience training, it's a non issue. And intact male dogs need to learn how to act around other intact male dogs.
What you could do is call around to dog trainers and see who would be willing to be your mentor and spend the next couple years studying under them. Find a trainer that trains the way you'd like to do it.
- Ask to observe other trainers, even if you need to travel to sit in on their classes. There are many different methods out there to use. You need to define your method so you can explain it to others. You need to plan each lesson: what to teach, how to teach, variations to use with different people and dog personalities, length of each class. Plan your schedule of classes: which lesson should be first, which one comes next, etc. and which lesson will do best for the last class meeting? Are you going to offer written instructions so the people can review between classes? How are you with people? Know that you are going to be training the people more than the dogs.
Then, since you are going to get money for this training, you will be considered a business. What are the local and state regulations for a business? Are you old enough to run a business or will a parent need to co-sign? Do you need to buy an insurance policy? It would be a really good idea even if it isn't required. If you are teaching from your home, then perhaps you can have a rider added to the homeowner's policy. You need to think ahead to the sudden tragedy: a dog bites you, a dog bites the owner and your handling of the dog is blamed, a dog bites another owner, an owner falls, an owner hurts another dog. Ask other trainers what type of release forms they use. The insurance company should have some wording they want to see on the form you'll need to have every owner sign before the first class begins.
Are the lessons going to be in a local park? Do you need to rent space? How will you advertise? There are so many media outlets now, but often people will go by word of mouth. Get known by the local vet offices, feed and pet supply stores, and dog people. Is there an AKC club in your area? How about the Rescues?
- Sounds ok but why only 1 male? They entire males have to learn to be tolerant of other males and one entire male may actually cause problems with the entire females creating 'competition' - and the females can be just as relentless if an 'argument' occurs. I would reconsider that and think more about being careful in the socialization instead and consider group/class sizes, stages etc
I would also say that if a females season starts it should be four weeks before she comes back to class.
(I think where the other trainer went wrong is that operant conditioning (positive reward) is used to teach and shape behaviours - its a learning tool if you like once they have learned that doing the beaviour is good or if its a behaviour they know they should just be expected to perform that without the food - so they dont get rewarded for everything. They get food for learning/marking correct behaviour during learning so they know whats expected, not for obeying.Once they know the behaviour, there is no reason for them to not obey and so they would recieve a correction not a food lure IMO often the only correction they need is a marker that signals wrong behaviour - this is made through conditioning too - sound/word given at the same time as reward withdrawl, since a dog trained through operant conditioning often WANTS to please more than 'behave through fear of correction' dogs, and the guess work of what they are supposed to be doing has been removed so they gain confidence etc so they will work far easier)
positive reinforcement is completley different from using food to constantly lure a dog into behaviours.
Before starting your class you should research classical and operant conditioning, negative and positive corrections etc and the effects in the dog. Also learn about training through play etc
Also you need to get some supervised experience with the more dominant breeds in all their 'stages' a perfectly behaved 6 month old rottie suddenly becomes a nightmare - this is another stage of a dogs life and you need to know how to handle these situations learn about fear periods....
Not all dogs will learn the same way/same time scale - you need to be confident that you cn come up with a way for that dog and their owner based on what the owner can keep up at home too.
