Please beware of any trainers who guarantee their training results.
We live in a society which loves guarantees and quick results. That's great! However, guarantees are for mechanical parts. Training encompasses many moving parts. Working with dogs and humans, behavior cannot be guaranteed. It is simply illogical and unethical to guarantee this.
WDU hears countless stories from clients who lament having previously contracted with a "trainer" under this guise and then come to us for training and, too often, help repairing the fallout of methods used by such trainers.
You will often find a guarantee offered with a heavy price tag to both your wallet and your dog's well being. It's a provocative sales tactic created about 20 years ago. The guarantee is used to override any objections to the higher than needed price point proposed.
Behavior is fluid and ever changing, and your dog is not a furry car or computer that can be repaired with the turn of a wrench or replacement part. Success in training or behavior modification relies on a multitude of factors, some of which can be controlled by the trainer, but most of which cannot.
Trainers who understand behavior have the skills required to train effectively, and are not just in it for the money, and do not offer guaranteed results.
Life is not on remote control, and regardless of how much time and practice you have applied or how slick your training skills, your dog is not a robot. For example, your dog may have a rock solid Down Stay and you can expect her to stay in that down when asked most any day of the week. However, someday, she may be simply too intensely distracted or not her usual sharp self. Circumstances in behavior are constantly changing with dogs, just like with us. Understanding this is a first step to a successful training journey.
An Honest Promise. Wonder Dog University Guarantees a Commitment to:
- Working to effect the most appropriate behavior change in line with your goals.
- Only consulting with clients who offer cases that we have the professional competence to address.
- Customizing an approach to individual client goals and the dog’s needs.
- Using only modern, no-force, science-based training methods that are effective, humane and fun.
- Continuing our education and not using outdated techniques founded on unscientific principles.
- Striving for client satisfaction with Wonder Dog University professional services.
As Professional Members of the Association of Professional Dog Trainers (APDT), the Pet Professional Guild (PPG) and the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT), the Wonder Dog University team pledged to abide by these organizations' ethics statements, which include:
“Because of the variables in dog breeding and temperament and owner commitment and experience, a trainer cannot and should not guarantee the results of his or her training. Be wary of any trainer who gives you such a guarantee.” APDT
“A professional force-free dog trainer will not guarantee their training results. There are too many variables involved and a professional dog trainer cannot control these.” PPG
"Trainers/behavior consultants refrain from providing guarantees regarding the specific outcome of training and behavior plans." CCPDT
PPG complete Professional Ethics Statement
CCPDT How to Choose a Dog Trainer or Behavior Consultant
Should Dog Trainers Offer Guarantees?