Dog Training in Walnut Creek, the Bay area and Contra Costa has changed dramatically since the great Recession. Steve Bettcher of The Dog Squad has been training puppies and dogs for over 20 years. When he started offering dog obedience services in the Walnut Creek area years ago there were only a few professional dog trainers. Today a new one seems to appear every day. A lot of people were displaced during the recession and a lot of them seemed to decide that they would try their hands at becoming dog trainers or dog walkers. Dog training schools have proliferated durning the last 7 years but unfortunately the quality of dog and puppy training has declined. New trainers are advertising themselves as professional dog trainers after only taking 3 to 4 week courses and having only trained their own dog(s). There are dog training franchises and schools that have been taking advantage of people who are desperate for work and trying to reinvent themselves. In my 20 years I have never seen so many self proclaimed puppy and dog trainers.
Today the dog training in Walnut Creek area is a “buyer be ware” landscape. The keys to finding a qualified and experienced trainer are certification from a recognized dog training professional organization such as The International Association of Canine Professionals and experience (number of years working as a dog trainer). Getting a certificate from a 3 to 4 week dog training school may be helpful but it alone does not prepare a person to be a professional dog trainer. More important is experience. How many client dogs have they trained not how many of their own dogs have they trained.
Many of the new dog trainers in Walnut Creek are dog owners and dog lovers who have come from the corporate world where they were down sized during the recession. Though their intentions may be in the right place they often are not prepared for the rigors of working with dog problems such as aggression, separation anxiety and other severe dog behavior problems. I feel sorry for a lot of these well intended people who have paid thousands of dollars from schools and programs who take advantage of them. Selling them the dream of becoming a Professional Dog Trainer overnight. Many of these overnight dog trainers go out of business within the first year.
You and your dog deserve the best possible dog training in Walnut Creek and support from someone who knows how to work with all types of dogs and problems and can work with you. When searching for dog training in Walnut Creek; remember the best trainers train the owners. Be careful when selecting someone to work with you and your dog. Ask questions and check for references and testimonials: are they certified, how many years have they been working in your area, how many veterinarians refer them, what types of problems have they worked with, what is their success rate, what type of follow-up and support do they provide and for how long, and finally can they communicate clearly with you and spell out a training plan that makes sense for you and your dog?
Price is often a dead give away. Usually quality and experience come with a price. Going cheap can cost you dearly. I have had to retrain a lot of dogs from trainers who couldn’t do the job. Don’t evaluate the trainer by price alone. Going with a professional experienced dog trainer even though he may be the highest priced can end up costing you less and make you and your dog happy for life.
More about Walnut Creek Dog Trainer Steve Bettcher
Steve Bettcher, owner of The Dog Squad has been dog training in Walnut Creek and the Contra Costa area for over 15 years. He is referred by over 30 Bay Area Veterinarians. Steve is an IACP Certified Dog Trainer, an AKC Canine Good Citizen Evaluator, a Certified Remote Collar Specialist, a Certified Nosework Instructor. He has a BA in Psychology, MS in Counseling and as college student he worked for SRI as a Seal Trainer. He also has won three National Agility Championships and has titled in NACSW Nose Work.
Call Steve Bettcher the most experienced dog trainer in Walnut Creek to get the best possible results for your and your dog. 877-632-DOGS (3647).