You Hired a Professional Dog Trainer. Now Let Them Do Their Job!
Written by Lauren Tsao, MS, CDBC, CPDT-KA
Photo shows dog jumping through hoop.
When you hire a professional, whether it's a doctor, mechanic, or dog trainer, you’re paying for their expertise, experience, and proven approach to problem-solving. You trust them to guide you in the best direction because they’ve spent years refining their skills, studying their craft, and developing processes that consistently produce results. Yet, in the world of dog training and behavior consulting, it’s surprisingly common for students to ask trainers to change their methods to match what they think is best.
But here’s the thing: if you’ve chosen a trainer based on their results, why would you want them to change their approach? Whether it’s asking a positive reinforcement-based trainer to use a prong collar because it’s what you’re used to, or resisting a behavior consultant’s request for videos and assessments, these requests don’t just slow down progress. They make it harder for you to get the results you’re paying for.
Expertise Comes from Experience and Education
Most people seek out a trainer or consultant because they’ve seen their success—whether through testimonials, social media, or word of mouth. But those results didn’t happen by accident. They were achieved through a carefully developed process based on experience, science, and consistency.
Dog trainers and behavior consultants don’t just wake up one day and decide to follow a specific method or specialize in a certain area. The vast majority of reputable professionals invest heavily in their continuing education, attending seminars, workshops, and courses to refine their skills. Many also dedicate time to hands-on experience, working with a variety of dogs to strengthen their knowledge in their chosen specialty.
This means that when a trainer tells you they specialize in positive reinforcement, reactive dogs, puppy development, or sports training, it’s not just a preference. It’s an area they’ve intentionally studied and practiced. They’ve chosen to focus their education and skills in that domain, ensuring they stay up to date on the latest research and most effective techniques.
So, if you’re working with a positive reinforcement-based trainer, asking them to train your dog with a prong collar won’t just go against their philosophy, it’s likely something they haven’t spent time studying in-depth because it’s not aligned with their methods. If your trainer specializes in positive reinforcement and you admire their work, asking them to swap to training collars because you prefer them is like hiring a skilled artist and then handing them a completely different set of tools. The process that gets them results is the one they’ve built through years of experience, and deviating from it isn’t going to give you the outcome you expect. Likewise, a trainer who specializes in obedience and sports training may not have the same level of expertise in canine aggression and behavior modification as a certified behavior consultant who dedicates their career to those cases.
If you’re asking a trainer or consultant to step outside of their expertise, you may not get the same level of results as you would from someone who has built their career around that specific topic. Instead of trying to fit a professional into what you think should work, it’s important to seek out someone whose skillset already aligns with your needs and then trust them to use the education and experience they’ve worked so hard to develop.
The best outcomes happen when you allow experts to work within the areas they’ve mastered, not when you ask them to operate outside of what they’ve spent years perfecting.
Your Behavior Consultant’s Process Exists for a Reason
The same goes for behavior consultants who request specific information, videos, or assessments before working with your dog. They aren’t asking for these things just for fun. They’re asking because their process relies on gathering detailed information to make the best recommendations possible.
When students resist providing requested materials or try to bypass key steps in the assessment, it doesn’t just disrupt the process, it reduces the likelihood of real progress. If you’re asking for expert help, but then chipping away at the very system that makes that expert effective, you’re stacking the odds against yourself.
Imagine hiring a highly-rated chef to cook you a gourmet meal, only to tell them mid-way through the process, “I’d rather you make it this way instead.” You’d be interfering with their expertise and likely end up with a meal that isn’t as good as what they would have prepared on their own. Or going to a doctor, but refusing the tests they recommend before diagnosing you. You wouldn’t expect the same results from these professionals if you weren’t willing to follow their guidance, so why should dog training or behavior consulting be any different?
You’re Hiring an Expert, Let Them Do Their Job
The best way to get the results you want from your dog trainer or behavior consultant is simple: follow their process. Trust their expertise. Give them the information they need to help you.
If their outcomes are what drew you in, then it makes sense to allow them to use the methods that got them there. When you hire a professional, you’re not just paying for their time, you’re paying for the years they’ve spent building a process that works. The fastest way to get where you want to be with your dog is to trust the system they’ve created and commit to the process.
Because in the end, the students who get the best results? They aren’t the ones asking their trainer to change. They’re the ones following the plan.
Photo shows dog sitting with owner.
If you’re ready to stop second-guessing and start seeing progress, book a Behavior Guidance Call today. Let’s work together to create a plan that truly works for both you and your dog.
As a Certified Behavior Consultant and Licensed Dynamic Dog Practitioner, I take a detailed approach. I evaluate both behavioral and potential physical influences to ensure nothing is overlooked. My process is built on years of education and experience, and following it is key to getting the best results for you and your dog.
Click here to schedule your Behavior Guidance Call and let’s find the answers together.
