Hi everyone.

I need a trainer for my 16 month old german shepherd, Mikah. WHen I was doing an internet search for local trainers, I keep seeing that a lot of people have these titles after their name:

CPDT (Certified Pet Dog Trainer) http://www.ccpdt.org/ and
APDT (association of Pet Dog Trainers) http://www.apdt.com/about/join/default.aspx

The thing is that the 2 people I really like don't have these titles. So my question is---does anyone have any info on these organizations or titles and are they something I should look for in a trainer, avoid in a trainer, or ignore completely?

Thanks for your help.

I'd go watch them train before i take my dog. The titles may not be worth the paper its written on if the trainer is bad. It's your dog and money so i'd definitely check them out before hiring them. You might see some red flags then again you may not. Did these people get certified over the net or do they really have experience? i'd think about things like this.

Sara,
We discussed this is the past.
Those titles mean less than crap, they're totally bogus.

You can become a "APDT" without ever having touched a dog - all you have to do is send the organization money and you get a certificate. it's a total scam, period.

Those "titles" are for trainers that almost never have any accomplishments that they can list.
A good trainer can list their years of experience and numerous titles earned in obedience or SchH or agility competitions. The fake "titles" are for those that haven't payed their dues and just need a bogus "certification" to fool uninformed pet owners.

Sara,

Where are you located; maybe someone on the board is nearby and can recommend a trainer. After having one "difficult" German Shepherd after 30+ years, I learned that not all trainers are created equal. And Jody must be ok now because he has both an AKC CD and CGC.

Good luck in your search.

 Quote: saramilliken

The thing is that the 2 people I really like don't have these titles. So my question is---does anyone have any info on these organizations or titles and are they something I should look for in a trainer, avoid in a trainer, or ignore completely?

Thanks for your help.

Basic Obedience, right?

I'd ask those two (the ones you liked) for references, and actually speak at length to the people who recommend them.

If you have Ed's Video #302, I'd watch it and get a feel for good training.

And I'd also ask to observe a session. In addition, I'd want to meet the trainer's dogs. I'd ask if they had their CGC.

I would absolutely ask about any titles they may have earned besides their CGC, as Will says. (Even if they have none, the reply might tell you a lot; do they scorn such "grading," for example?)

And I'd talk about tools, motivational training, corrections, marker training ... really, all the subjects that pertain to Basic Ob.

Let's see.... what else....

Again, you do mean basic obedience, right?

P.S. Are their dogs happy, healthy, lively.... well-behaved but not frightened, cowering?

 Quote:

Those titles mean less than crap, they're totally bogus.

I met a kid the other day with some dog psychology degree and a reported "Master Trainer" certificate. He was 24 or 26 years old. WTF?

Howard

 Quote: howard knauf

... I met a kid the other day with some dog psychology degree and a reported "Master Trainer" certificate. He was 24 or 26 years old. WTF?

Howard

25 years' experience, too, right?

Been training dogs how to eat poop since he was a toddler

Well I will say that I don't put stock in certifications unless they also have experience. There are a lot of courses out there that offer certifications, I've heard of weekend classes to get 'certified as a dog trainer.'

I am only interested in certification because the courses actually offer information and hands on training and experience for things I don't have any other opportunity to really learn. Even then, my experience is more important than any piece of paper - the only thing that paper backs up is that you have a certification. Any certification I may get is for me or to shut up an idiot that wants to see some paper, not as a marketing tool or my only backing for being a trainer.

Being young I don't take any offense to the comments above as in a vast majority of cases people my age really do not have much experience with anything, let alone dog training. I don't consider myself experienced in any but a few areas and even then it's moderate and I am far from an expert. I live to learn though and help where I can.

For trainers - my suggestion would be to go based on the experience that they can back up. I've met "dog trainers" that don't own any dogs and can't provide references or proof that they have ever trained a dog for anything. If you like them, like how they work, and the dogs they own/have worked with are well adjusted and "well behaved" then give them a try