Assistance Dog Trainer
Dogs can perform some specific duties, such as assist a physically or mentally challenged person in living an independent life. Such dogs, known as assistant dogs, need to be trained intensely by professional dog trainers.
Efficient Trainers Matter Immensely when Training a Competent Assistant Dog
A wheel-chair bound grandma recently got a prized gift on her 75th birthday – an assistant dog. The dog brought small items to her, helped her change coats, pulled the chair for short distances, and playfully entertained her. However, even though these tasks look quite incredible, a lot of hard work went to train such dogs.
A good amount of credibility goes to the assistance dog trainer which would need to train a dog not only on its basic discipline but also on some useful tasks that would help it to graduate to an assistant dog.
Strict but a Trainer with a Heart
Not all can become a dog trainer, especially when you want the dog to perform some useful chores. Experts point out that the trainer must be patient, intuitive, and must love to work with the dogs. He must also be compassionate to animals, understand how much a dog can take at a particular session, and should also keep his temper under control.
At the same time, a trainer must also be firm in his instructions. Just like a parent dealing with the child, the trainer must be strict enough to drive home the seriousness of the lesson he wants to impart.
Here are some basic steps to train a potential assistant dog:
- The instructor and dog interaction is one to one.
- The instructor weans the dog from its basic bad habits.
- The instructions are consistent and approachable.
- The lessons are taught when the previous lesson is learned.
- A dog which listens to instructions is rewarded with a treat.
After the lessons are learned, the dog needs to pass a practical examination which is at par with international standards. Once done, the dog gets certified that it can work as an assistant dog. The trainer gets his due regard if he trains a dog successfully.
Once the training is complete and the dog is chosen by a customer to work as an assistant dog, a short practical session is done. The interaction with the owner for which it must work is vital to ensure the success of the dog’s learning.
Trainer as an Alpha Dog
To be a successful trainer, one must understand the psychology of dogs. For instance, a dog loves to follow the leader of the pack. So, if the trainer acts like the leader or alpha dog, he would soon get a well-behaved dog which would follow his commands. In fact, small chores, such as dog walking, leash pull training, and many more trainer-n-dog capabilities work well in such a method.
At the same time, experts point out that the trainer must also be able to play with the dog and give it a free time to play and run. A little bit of notice and care goes a long way in making the dog, a successful assistant dog.
