How to choose a good canine educator?
A question that is a challenge, since, like the teachers, each canine educator has his booklet, which complicates the choice. However, it is possible to find the right professional for our tastes and the needs of our dogs. In the information is the key and in this post we reveal the details.
Canine educator, a key figure
Today the canine educator has become an essential figure , increasingly in demand when it comes to ensuring a good relationship between dogs, humans and the environment.
Fortunately, there are many professionals willing to help us in the task of teaching our dogs the basic rules of education or to deal with certain unwanted behaviors.
Because when a dog enters a home, it does not do so with an instruction manual.
Raising a dog is a complex task , just as it is if it is a baby; there are infinite variables that may require the intervention of an educator.
A good professional can quickly and successfully resolve certain situations that are seen as problematic from an inexperienced perspective.
We will need it if our dog has behavior problems, but also to guide us and accompany us when adopting a puppy, and to help us later in their education.
But, how to find the ideal educator, capable of connecting with your desires and solving the conflicts that worry you so much?
Keep reading and soon you will get rid of doubts.
Questions for your dog’s educator
Take a pencil and paper and write down the following questions for your dog’s educator candidate and they should meet your expectations …
- Personal connection
Good communication on the part of the educator is a basic pillar.
The good educator must know in depth the principles of learning psychology . We will know that we have made the right choice if we see that you clearly explain the work you are going to do and the reasons for it.
Another quality to highlight is that he knows how to match the techniques to the peculiarities and needs of each particular case .
“An expert educator is one who, instead of holding the dog responsible, when the proposed objectives are not achieved, is capable of rethinking an alternative methodology to the initial one.”
- Training and references
Good training is essential. Do not be content if the educator tells you that he has done this or that course. It requires that your candidate have prestigious references and experiences in seminars and training schools.
When asking for references, you must bear in mind that in Spain there is no approved and official qualification of canine educator.
However, there are foundations and educational centers, which cover certain aspects in the training of educators, such as:
- Fundación Bocalán , a social and international entity with offices in Madrid, Navarra, Cantabria, Catalonia and Galicia.
- Autonomous University of Barcelona
- Complutense University of Madrid
Although the above information may serve as a guide, remember that in our country we still take as a reference the advice of the veterinarian and those close to him, who refer us to professionals and trusted centers.
Likewise, it is interesting to read the comments of other people in the cards that educators have on social networks.
- Professional experience
Inquire about the professional experience of your candidate for educator of your dog; check that you are up to date regarding courses taught and collaborations with other professionals.
Choose the educator whose curriculum is best suited to the specific needs of your dog and yours.
Check in person the savoir faire of your candidate; ask him to give you a demonstration or watch him educate another dog ; rule out any abrupt signals to your dog.
It is often a question of feeling. If you and your furry first feel comfortable, you are already halfway there.
Also check if he has a dog; An educator will always feel more empathy for your dog if he shows with facts that he loves animals. - Learning free from punishment
The fact of investigating about the methodology that the educator will use to guide us in teaching is fundamental.
We must be very clear, from the beginning, that the guidelines, activities and mood will be in line with a pedagogy based on positive reinforcement , which makes both our dog and ourselves feel good.
Do not allow your dog to suffer during the sessions proposed by the educator. If you notice this happening, cancel the classes and consult the situation with other professionals.
Far have been aggressive techniques and invasive stimuli in teaching.
Both experts and people who love animals today opt for an education aimed at reinforcing good behaviors and ignoring certain inappropriate behaviors.
Fortunately, beatings, leash pulls, or choking collars have given way to harnesses , edible treats , toys , teethers , caresses, and words of encouragement.
In this way, the dog feels happier and strengthens the bond with its human companion. - Slowly but surely
There are no miracles and it is already known that all education requires method, time and perseverance.
The time factor will help you choose or discard ipso facto the possible educator of your dog.
Because education has to be a joint task between the expert, your dog and you, and requires a certain time.
It is different if you have a puppy without problems and what you want is to know the basic guidelines for coexistence; in this case, the sessions can be shorter, since you will only have to apply the instructor’s guidelines with care and patience. - Not without my dog
As the one who is going to live with your dog is you and not the educator, it is clear that during the training you must be present. Therefore, be wary of those who propose to leave your dog in a center to instruct him.
Think that if your dog has to learn certain behaviors, you must be present to assimilate them together.
If you leave your furry out of his home, he may learn something, but when he gets home, without the educator, problems will arise again.
In the event that a part of the education takes place in a center, we advise you to observe very well the state of the facilities, such as the safety of the campus and its hygiene.
Remember that the professional educator, with experience and solvency, is the one who helps the human to understand his dog, accompanies him during training and gives him the guidelines he will need in the future.