So you call yourself a dog trainer?

Great article, Jackie. Thanks for sharing. I thought the comments were interesting, too.

You know what I found sad about Sophia Yin's passing? That it wasn't news outside of the dog community (as a whole). You can bet that if it had been CM, it would have been all over the news.

Recently I was looking for a Karen Pryor book at the local library and they only had one of hers, but there was a shelf full of CM. There weren't any Sophia Yin books either. Hmph.

Thanks for sharing that, Jackie.  I admit that my knowledge of truly genuinely skilled (i.e., professional) dog trainers is limited to the few names I've learned in the years I've subscribed to the Whole Dog Journal (and have subsequently seen referenced in this forum).  I know a ton of people who have dogs, but I'm sure the majority of them have never heard the names of those trainers.  

Having said that, if it weren't for stumbling on the WDJ and this forum several years ago, I'd be limited to just what I see in the more "general" media:  Shows like CM's on TV, or the "best-seller" books heavily promoted in bookstores (like the ones by the Monks of New Skete that were popular nearly 20 years ago when we got our first dog).  I'm glad I have better insight than that now . . . even if I don't have access to those nationally known trainers in WDJ, I know what qualifications to look for when I hear about local trainers we could use in our area.

It's true what you said, Tina, about Dr. Yin's passing.  I wouldn't have known about it if I didn't hear it from people here or friends who work at our local shelter.  But most definitely if CM had passed, it would've been covered everywhere.

Thanks for the post great information. I agree it's important to find someone who knows what they are doing. There are many different methods, ideas, etc. Sadly we have had to fix many dogs that were scared by "on paper" trainers, meaning they took online courses but never had actual hands on experience. I mentored under a trainer for 7 years and have over 15 years hands on experience with all breeds of dogs and have been taught all methods because all dogs are individuals and you have to evaluate them and see what will work best. You can read about scenarios but actually dealing with it in the physical world can be a whole other ball game. The best advice is find a reputable trainer and know their experience and what they have done, most important what works best for your dog.