The Human Half of Dog Training

Book excerpt: Most dog trainers have a strong desire to help dogs learn appropriate behaviors and solve the kinds of problems that most dogs experience or create. It is why they get into the business in the first place and it is what they are trained to do. What is challenging for so many trainers is that their success in working with dogs ultimately depends on the cooperation, understanding and follow-through of the people who bring their dogs to them to be trained. Failure to work with people often leads to failure with the dogs. In The Human Half of Dog Training, author Risë VanFleet draws upon her years of experience of working with people as a child and family psychologist to teach dog trainers how take a collaborative approach with clients to help insure the best possible outcomes for their dogs.