Why this LA Dog Photographer Wishes You Knew Force Free Science-Based Dog Training Methods
A few years ago, my family was in a tough situation. We had recently adopted our beautiful Luna, a 90lb white German Shepherd rescue with a heart of gold. Unfortunately, Luna came to us full of anxiety and fear. We couldn’t even leave the house because just walking down the driveway would send her into a full meltdown. Our sweet girl would pace around the house with stress throughout the day. The thought of having guests over was out of the question because new people would send her into an extreme and uncontrollable fearful reaction.
The worst part of all is that Luna wasn’t even able to play with her sister, Arwen, because she was too overwhelmed with anxiety to let loose and have fun. My husband and I knew we had to do something so that Luna could enjoy her life and our whole family could return to doing the things we loved. I began researching dog trainers in our area that could help.
I want to share our story with you because what happened next truly changed our lives. This is what I wish you knew about force free science-based dog training and how to find the perfect, certified dog trainer for your family along with my favorite resources.
Our Story
After some online research, I found a dog trainer that seemed like a good fit. This trainer had a nice website and positive online reviews. We thought we were hiring the best dog trainer we could to help our sweet Luna. What we didn’t know is that the dog training industry is unregulated. Anyone can call themselves a dog trainer with little to no experience. Even more confusing? Sometimes, dog trainers claim to be “certified,” but it’s not a national organization; the certification is done through their own business.
As we started working with this trainer, everything felt wrong. The correction-based methods that they had us using on our fearful Luna made everything way worse. The trainer assured us that their training was still positive since you still gave praise for good things. It was a tortuous couple of months wondering if we were doing the right thing and experiencing terrible results. My gut was screaming that something was off, but I thought I was working with a certified professional. I still feel ashamed and guilty that we even fell for something like this and what we put our girls through.
Trusting My Gut and Researching Force Free Dog Training
During this time, I started reading books about force free dog training and communication (I’ll share resources below). I realized that there are official, real dog training certifications you should look for in a trainer. I learned that dogs communicate differently, and you can tailor your training and communication to suit your pup. The force free positive reinforcement training method is the only science-based method, and it actually works.
We had an “expert” telling us something, but deep down, we knew that it was wrong for our family. Educating myself and knowing that our current training method felt wrong, we felt confident in letting go of our current trainer and finding one that is certified.
We found Fun Paw Care, and are beyond happy with the results. I’ll share his information below, too.
Life with Luna
It didn’t take long to see amazing results with force free dog training! Luna is now the happy girl that we knew she could be! Luna now enjoys her walks, making new friends, and playing with her sister, Arwen. Instead of hiding when we would be going out for a walk, she’s excited to go! Her extreme anxiety has been replaced with the ability to relax and enjoy life. She’s a friendly, happy girl. Our other dog, Arwen, is much happier too. We communicate better with both our girls now and just feel happier as a family!
What I Wish People Knew About Force Free Dog Training
I wish people knew that it's the right thing to do and it’s the only science-based training method. The methods using corrections don't teach your dog anything. They put your dog in a place where they know that they're doing something wrong, maybe, and they don't know what it is, so then they're scared and confused, but they never actually learn the right thing to do. This method teaches your dog what to do and teaches you how to communicate better with your fur baby by speaking their language.
If you need help with your dog, please look for a certified dog trainer and, most importantly, listen to your gut.
What to Look for In a Dog Trainer
Look for a dog trainer that has proper, legit credentials.
Dog Training Credentials to Look For:
Find a Trainer Near You:
Recommended LA Area Dog Trainers
Fun Paw Care - This is who we worked with; his website has a wealth of information.
Underdogs Long Beach - This is another trainer I’ve partnered with, and she has several blogs with helpful information.
Clickstart Dog Training - Another local certified dog trainer with helpful resources on their website.
Force Free Dog Training Book Recommendations
Here is my list of recommended books. Feel free to check out your local library, purchase from a local bookstore, or buy from Amazon. I’ll link to Amazon below.
Puppy Primer by Patricia B McConnell - This says it's a puppy book, but I recommend it to people who are adopting older dogs, too, because it goes over everything and is really easy to get through quickly. View on Amazon.
Culture Clash: A Revolutionary New Way of Understanding the Relationship Between Humans and Domestic Dogs by Jean Donaldson - This book is all about force free training and really teaches you how and why to use these methods. View on Amazon.
For the Love of a Dog: Understanding Emotion in You and Your Best by Patricia B McConnell - This is my absolute favorite book. It’s more about understanding your dog than dog training. View on Amazon.
The Other End of the Leash: Why We Do What We Do Around Dogs by Patricia B McConnell - This book is also about understanding your dog more than dog training and talks about human and dog communications methods and why we sometimes don't understand each other. I love this author if you couldn't already tell. View on Amazon.
The Power of Positive Dog Training by Pat Miller - This is a great, simple training book. View on Amazon.
My Starter Pack for Force Free Dog Training
Here are the things you’ll want to have handy as you start your force free dog training journey!
1. Harness - Comfort for your pup!
2. Treat pouch - This even fits your phone.
3. 15ft Leash - Perfect length for your dog to explore more on walks.
4. Bungee shock absorber - Leash extender and shock absorber.
LA Dog Photographer Dog Inspired Photography
Without force free dog training, my LA area dog photographer businesses wouldn’t be here. My love for pet photography blossomed by taking photos of my girls, Luna and Arwen. Without going through our journey with Luna, we wouldn’t have been able to enjoy our life as a family and being able to take photos would have been out of the question with the state that we were in before learning how to use science-based training methods. After investing time, money, and effort into my pet photography for myself, I decided to take the leap and offer photography to other LA families. My families know that they can trust me to capture the perfect pet portraits, and I feel confident doing so with my background in force free science-based dog training.
Thank you for reading our story and about our journey with force free dog training. Are you just getting started with training your dog? If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out. I’m always happy to help a fellow pet parent!
