Finding a trainer

 Pretty good advice, but I would caution people that sometimes the best trainers aren't certified.  In my area, there are at least 10 trainers, myself included, who have not chosen to spend the $350.  (I have already spent $8,000 to get a degree in my field.)  There are "certified" trainers here who do not understand the nature of reinforcement and extinction, and there are also trainers who are abusive of dogs, yet have been training for 30 years.  I think that the best way to find a trainer is to ask your vet (they don't always know, but it's a start, because they can't afford to be sending you to someone who will treat your dog badly, since it reflects on them).  AND, go to watch a class - if you aren't comfortable, stay away.   If the dogs don't look happy (look at the majority - some dogs come to class with issues and one unhappy dog isn't a deal breaker).  If the trainer uses phrases such as "alpha dog" their knowledge is dated.  If you see buzz words such as "boot camp" or "balanced" then chances are the trainer uses correction or punishment techniques.  If you see "positive" or "clicker", the trainer probably uses little to no correction and relies on reward-based training.  It's up to you how you want your dog treated.  But, the correct sequence for training any mammal is: elicit the behavior, mark the behavior (so the animal knows it's correct) and reward the behavior (don't go to anyone who says you can't use food, for example - you can use ANY reinforcement, and there are many - toys, pats, praise, food, getting out the door, etc.)  Never go to a trainer who incessantly talks about dogs being "stubborn" or "disobedient".  Dogs can be that way, but the vast majority of them are simply confused.  A really good trainer is going to talk about how you elicit behavior (lure, capture, shape) and not about how you force it (push, pull).  Remember, we are not talking about how you manage an already trained dog - you want to choose someone who is patient and has ability to teach a novice dog without ruining it - sometimes these are the hardest to find;-)