Before Going to a Professional - An Interview with Amy Dahl

by Steve Stevenson

Before a professional trainer can effectively train your pup, you’d be well advised to get a bit of training yourself. By doing a thorough job of getting to know your pro, preparing your pup correctly and understanding a few guidelines for participation in the training program, you can make the most of this significant investment of time and money.

Setting Expectations

The process of selecting a trainer is a two-way street—it’s your opportunity to become familiar with the trainer’s program, and the trainer’s chance to learn about your goals and determine if their program is right for you and your pup. There are no dumb questions at this point—experienced trainers understand that each new client is unique in their experience and expectations.

“Different people want different things,” says Amy Dahl of Oak Hill Kennel in Pinehurst, North Carolina. “There’s no script to follow when a trainer and a potential client are getting to know each other.”

It’s important to ask lots of questions at this stage; after you have made a commitment is a poor time to realize that you are uncomfortable with a technique that may be a central tool to the trainer’s program, such as the use of an electronic collar. Likewise, be sure to learn the specifics of the financial commitment you are making to the trainer by asking if there are any costs above and beyond the monthly training fee.

Four Common Training Misunderstandings
  1. Length of training
    “We hear from people who think we’re going to have their dog handling within three months,” says Dahl. Remember, each dog is unique. It may take one especially gifted dog four months to achieve a level of proficiency that another dog requires a year to reach.

  2. Time spent each day
    Dahl observes that “some people expect us to spend a couple of hours every day on their dogs.” The truth is, lengthy training sessions are almost always counterproductive to a dog’s enthusiasm and confidence. Done properly, short (10-15 minute) sessions are optimal for developing a happy, well-trained retriever.

  3. The electronic collar
    Many owners are initially apprehensive about the use of an e-collar, fearing that it is an unnecessarily harsh means of training. According to Dahl, however, the precise opposite is true.

    “I invite owners to watch a training session and see if they think the collar-trained dogs look happy and confident,” she says. “I genuinely believe that in our hands, the collar is a means to gentler training than is possible without it.”

  4. Training set-ups
    Retrievers have to crawl before they can walk. “Many people believe that training should look like hunting every day,” Amy says. “In fact, our program involves a lot of step-by-step building that doesn’t resemble a hunting setting at all.

Starting Early

Dahl suggests that the ideal time to select a professional trainer is before you pick your pup up from the breeder. By doing so, you can ask questions of the trainer and be confident that prior to the beginning of formal training you are raising your pup in a manner that will best prepare it for the trainer’s program.

Most trainers will have specific feelings about how old a pup should be, and what the pup should be taught at home, prior to entering a formal training program.
Some trainers adamantly request that the owner teach the pup nothing at all. Others, Dahl included, prefer that the pup be properly socialized and have a few essential traits.

“For our program,” says Dahl, “a dog that likes to retrieve, is people-oriented, and can go to a strange place without fear is in good shape to start training. “If he has learned how to swim and been introduced to real birds,” she adds, “that’s a plus.”

Training for Owners

Beyond the issue of training the dog—and often, equally important—is the education of the owner.

“It’s a catch-22,” Dahl says. “The more an owner knows and understands about training, the better job we can do for them. But they wouldn’t pay us to do it if they knew how to do it themselves.”

As eager as you may be to try your pup’s training out for yourself, it’s best to exercise patience and defer to your pro regarding how and when to get involved. Dahl recommends waiting to visit, at a minimum, until the force-fetch program is complete, as visits prior to that milestone can have a detrimental effect on your dog’s attitude.

It’s also not constructive to attempt to handle your dog before it has experience and confidence at the level being demonstrated.

But no matter what stage your dog is at, if you plan to visit and be involved you must be aware of the etiquette of trainer interaction.


About Amy Dahl -

With her husband and training partner, John, Amy Dahl runs Oak Hill Kennel in Pinehurst, North Carolina. To learn more about the Dahl’s training program and their new book, The 10-Minute Retriever, visit www.oakhillkennel.com.
Says Amy, “When owners visit, we ask that they arrive on time, pay attention to the routine, and fit in such a way that facilitates effective training. When owners adhere to those guidelines we are eager for them to come back whenever they can.”

One more thing—always, and that means always, be sensitive to the trainer’s time.

“Training enough dogs to make a living, and giving each dog the ideal amount of attention per day, demands a lot of time,” says Dahl. “We need to make use of daylight, safe temperature ranges, and our paid help, all while maintaining a routine so that the dogs know what to expect.” That means that when you plan to visit your dog, don’t expect the training staff to stand around talking dogs with you for hours. They have (a lot) of work to do. Remember, if you are punctual, time-sensitive, and willing to learn, you will find yourself welcome to visit early and often.


Final thoughts

Watching a retriever grow from an inquisitive pup to the finished dog you have imagined is a magical experience. Knowing when and how to involve a professional trainer in your pup’s program will enhance your experience and allow your dog to reach its full potential.