What would you ask for .....

[Killer Instinct]

I'm considering sending Abby for Professional Training.... if you were in my position, what questions would you ask in trying to select the best professional trainer for your dog? If you have already done this with your dog & encountered problems, what question would you wished you would have asked in hindsight?

Thanks!

[Karen]

Get references and check them
If the trainer does/used to compete, check their record
How long have they been training
Ask about training methods
Go and see how your dog will be kept, what the kennels look like, how often they're cleaned, etc.
Ask about the grounds used for training and visit them if possible to make sure they are safe and conducive to training
Ask who their vet is and call the vet to check references also
find out about billing procedures, what's included, what's extra
Ask what they feed
Ask how often your dog will be worked
Discuss your goals at length with the trainer and ask for an estimate of how long it will take
If the trainer is local, ask about working your dog with the trainer
Ask about their kennel license. My trainer was told that the state of PA is searching the internet for unlicensed kennels in the state and will confiscate the dogs if the paperwork isn't produced. I'd hate to have my dogs get hung up in a mess like that.
Ask about required shots

That's all that comes to mind initiallly. Just do yourself a favor and check the place out yourself, in person if possible. Sometimes we don't realize how different other's standards are from our own.

[BigShooter]

Ask how many other dogs are going to be trained at the same time as your dog. Good trainers are busy but a too busy trainer may not be giving your dog enough training time. Ask how much time each day the trainer is committing to spend on your dog's training.

Be very specific about the results you want and get references for other clients that wanted similar results. Call the references.

Mark

[Killer Instinct]

Thank you both for the input.....

[jetto]

Also if you can try to get to an event that trainer will be participating in try to do so. And not just for an hour or two in the middle of the day- but try to hang around til evening chores need to be done or be there first thing in the am for morning chores.

I already knew this about my trainer but in emailing with a fellow field trialer who doesn't know him today; she mentioned how impressed she was with how he handled himself and took care of his dogs both during the braces and afterwards. She just happened to be at a trial he was at this past spring and gave me that info without my asking. And it's not the first time I've gotten that feedback about him. That is important. The last thing you want is a pro who is more concerned about partying and socializing than taking care of his or her dogs and horses when at a trial.

Or worse yet a pro that becomes abusive of his/her animals when in the stress of a trial setting. And do not think it does not happen. I was at a trial one time and a "pro" had a dog slip out of a collar and take off. The dogs owner was not a regular client of the "pro's" but he needed someone to run the dog for him that weekend so was paying the pro to do so. What did the pro do when the dog took off? NOT A THING! The rest of us hurried around trying to catch this dog but the "pro" wanted nothing to do with it because he was into AA dogs and this was "just" a gun dog and he was "just" doing the guy a favor!!!! YES He was being PAID to run this dog. Anyhow- we did finally catch the dog. Actually a REAL pro did by throwing her hat down and hollering WHOA and the dog stopped. Anyway- this was a real eye opener for alot of people who thought just because this guy had a little success that he was the next Delmar Smith. Lesson learned. Get your butt to a trial to make sure the pro really is what he/she says they are. Kristi

[BigShooter]

There is an expression often used in business, " you get what you inspect not what you expect" .

Mark

[Sharon]

I learned that lesson the hard way.

Dog trailer pulled up to pick up my dog.
Trailer looked to be overflowing.
Trainer said, "I've got 10 more dogs to pick up."

I'm thinking..... 3 dogs to a box for a long trip and how much time is my dog going to get? There's still only 24 hours in a day.

[CherrystoneWeims]

Or worse yet a pro that becomes abusive of his/her animals when in the stress of a trial setting. And do not think it does not happen.

Yep you are sooooo right! I was at a trial last year and watched a guy beat a dog. Everyone else had pretty much packed up and left already. He didn't realize that I saw him do it. I saw him again this year at the same trial. He had a friend with him who trains dogs and also boards them. I have no idea why this friend was there when he was supposed to be training clients' dogs! Everyone else was out riding braces but I had gone back to get something that I forgot. One of the dogs (a Weim) on a stakeout was barking. This guy went up to the dog and KICKED it!!!! He had looked around too see if anyone was looking before he did it and he didn't see me.

No way would I send a dog to either one of them.

As stated watch guys at trials. If they aren't the partying types and are hard workers with the dogs and horses then you usually have a good handler/trainer. I see too many prohandlers who are more into the booze than the dogs. Quite a few of them are loudmouth braggers too.

[Elroy's Bandit]

I agree. If you observe handlers/trainers at trials, you will get a real sense of how they will treat & train your dog. You can get a good sense by the work ethic and how they treat their string of dogs. I was blesssed with some of the very best who gain respect of the dogs but at the same time love these dogs and treat them well. I wouldn't have mine with anyone else. You want to make sure that your investment in your trainer is invested in your dog.
Be clear on where you would like your dog to be at the end of each season/trial period. Discuss what your goals are, and make sure you are both on the same page. Communication with your trainer is important also. If you hear that a particular trainer is never available to discuss progress, that's not a good thing. You want to choose someone who realizes that although he/she might have 12,13, 15 dogs, yours is the most important to you. Talk to people, ask other owners, and a good reference point is e-mailing different clubs that hold trials which the trainers you are looking at run in. You can get valuable insight from them.
Bill L.

[Killer Instinct]

Wish to thank you all for your input - I flew Abby out this past Monday to Ohio to Flushing Star Kennel for pro-training for 3 1/2 mos. I copied your questions to an email to 4 Top Kennels & received favorable replies from all (Couple of them responded back that they had never been asked for their Vet's name & phone #!)....

I'm being sentimental, but will she remember me? When your dog came back to you, did your dog act the way they did before you sent the off with love & affection?

The Hubby & Daughter aren't speaking to me....

[Karen]

How exciting! I'm glad you got good responses from the traininers!

She won't forget you...I promise!

[TrueBlu Shorthairs]

I would NEVER send a dog to any pro, no matter how far, without seeing his place, where my dog would be kept, etc. As I know most trainers, I already know more than needed to make an educated decision on the trainer, but I would ABSOLUTELY have to see several dogs worked on birds, see how they react to the trainer, their overall demeanor, their look from their eyes when they look at the trainer, their body language, etc. I would want to see client dogs, not his own, shoot, he'd better have some nice nice dogs of his own. Who cares? I want to see dogs he has trained, owned by others, and how they react to him. If I go visit after a month and the dog is looking to him and not thrilled to see me, then I know my decision was a good one. I wouldn't listen to writings on the net from a potential pro, but would talk to several actual clients and see for myself, period.

[ezzy333]

TruBlu

Might be a little harded to follow your program when you live in Alaska or Hawaii. Don't think many people are going to travel that far.

Ezzy

[Killer Instinct]

Trublue - I do understand what you are saying - If I could, I would had visited all 4 kennels in a heartbeat. But like Ezzy said, I live in Alaska. There are no pro-trainers in the last frontier. I do have a great support system with the Arctic Bird Dog Association (our local bird dog club). The next best thing I could do was ask this question ("What would you ask for...") from all of you on this forum in order to help a "rookie" make the best decision she could in training her pup. I will be flying out to OH at the end of her training (3 1/2 mos) & will be there for a week learning from the trainer. It's the best I can do .....

[Elkhunter]

Tammy,
I like your dog, he reminds me of the springer I grew up with. He lived to be 18 years old!! And he died when my mother ran over him! It was a sad day. They are amazing dogs. I strayed and got into pointing dogs though! I also just sent my dog off to a pro last week. He will be gone till October so I am in your same boat. It sounds like you did your homework and I am sure things will work out great.
EH

[rstbkt69]

Tammy,
I know how you feel about sending your pup off to a trainer and worrying about who you are going to get back. I had those same problems. It was especially hard when the Wife and Daughter got mad at me, especially since every now and then one of them would tear up over something that reminded them of our girl. My wife abolutely broke down one day when I stumbled across the video the breeder sent us last September and played it. The only sound on the video was the breeder saying "Hello girl" and she lost it.
Luckily we are able to drive down to our trainers every other week. It is only a couple of hours away but the gas is killing us, just like everyone else. The first time we went down, she basically ignored us till the trainer took her out. But after that she was absolutely the same dog we took out there. She just wanted her turn on the birds. We took her out to a park and it was like she had never been away from us. Still, when I go out to get my training along with hers she is just a bird dog and that is it. She handles as well with me as the trainer if I do everything right, and after we bring her back in she goes back into being the household pet she was before we took her out there. As long as she does her bird and field work first before we try to interact with her she is our girl we took out there and dropped off. She does pay closer attention to the trainer while he is around and that is fine with me. He's the candy man to these dogs. My Wife has quit worrying about getting back some stranger next month but we still miss her. I was even tempted to bring her back last week because they miss her so much, but it was my wife theat decided this is where she needs to be now and she will stay till she has finnished her 3 months.
I spoke to a few breeders over the phone and visited a couple before I decided on which one we wanted to use. She doesn't sleep in the Taj Mahal but she is well cared for and she seems to be really happy with her job now. Hope this helps.
jim