Yes, YOU need a trainer!

Training dogs while being trained - the AWDT dream

I’ve recently been doing some intense personal training with the best trainer in Indianapolis (Jessica at Trivergence Training) and it has been an eye-opening experience for me since personal training is something I never thought I’d pay for. After all, I know how to do a push-up, how to run, and how to use google to find different workouts on YouTube.

Despite all of that, it’s amazed me how beneficial working with a professional trainer has been. It keeps me on task, it keeps me motivated, and it keeps me progressing.

Turns out, her and I have basically the same job. We’re both out to improve people’s lives by helping people (and dogs in my case) make tangible improvements. Neither one is magic. Both take hard work. And all the answers to what we do can be found on the internet.

Watch out dogs!

I also recognize that there are a lot of people out in the world who, like me with personal training, don’t think that dog trainers are necessary and that they can cobble together enough information to get the job done on their own. And for a few people, that’s probably the case.

However, if you look around at the world, poorly behaved dogs and people who are struggling with their fitness are abundant – even though what we do is relatively simple, and the information is readily available.

As it turns out, there’s an incredible benefit to training and coaching regardless the field. Two in particular:
 

1. Training makes you efficient – Sure you can learn how to walk a dog on a leash from the Internet. But how many approaches will you find? How many will you try? How long will it take you to get the feel for the right approach? And how much confusion will you cause your dog in the process? A coach who knows how to accomplish what you want to accomplish will help you get the job done quickly and correctly. Simple as that.
2. Trainers hold you accountable – Even when you do figure how to accomplish your goals, sometimes you simply don’t get around to it. When you know you’re going to see your trainer in a few days, it inspires you to put in the work simply to avoid being embarrassed and to feel like you are getting your money’s worth.

Our current cultural mindset with dogs is to wait until there is an emergency with a dog to get professional help. This mindset is hurting our dogs here in America. As Buck Brannaman (the man that inspired the Horse Whisperer movie), pointed out – we are always doing too much too late when we could have done a little bit in the beginning.

It’s like the TV show the Biggest Loser. Sure, it’s a great show and the turnarounds are amazing, but think about how much pain and suffering could have been avoided if the contestants had contacted a trainer when they put on the first extra ten pounds instead of the extra hundreds of pounds they bring to Jillian Michaels to burn off on national television.

The same is true for dogs. Whether you are raising a dog or rescuing a dog, get an extra set of experienced eyes on the situation and avoid things like your dog biting the neighbor or destroying your expensive new sofa.

Have high goals for your dog. When you achieve those, set even higher ones.
Every dog deserves to be trained because it makes the world more accessible. And, of course, it will make you the owner much happier.  
 
 
*Check out my friend’s grand-opening to her training business tomorrow!