Mark Sampson Dog Trainer . About Me My Philosophy on Training In my opinion, there are two basic categories of dog trainers. Let me explain. The first category is the group of trainers who beg and bribe their dog to do something by offering a food or toy reward without ever correcting their dog’s wrong behaviors. Many trainers choose this training method based merely on the fact that they feel it is politically correct (Pet Smart, Petco, Monks of New Skeet, etc). The problem with this method is that the dogs will often chose not to do what is asked because they don’t think the reward is worth the task. For example, your dog takes off after a squirrel and seems to ignore your recall command. This is because the squirrel is more exciting to the dog than the treat it would receive if it had returned to you. The dogs trained with this method have the potential to become pushy, dominant, and often antisocial, aggressive animals. Many of today’s trainers may disagree with my opinions, but you can’t ignore the fact that with this fad becoming more popular, there is a startling correlation with the rising number of dominance and aggressive dog problems. These are the dogs that are turned into animal shelters as “unmanageable” when in fact they act the way they do as a result of ineffective dog training. The second category of trainers consists of those who intimidate or force the dog to do what is asked. While this method does result in a dog that obeys commands it also leads to dogs that are afraid of their trainers. Dogs trained in this manner typically have their tail tucked between their legs or cower as you approach them because they never know when or what they will be disciplined for. The improper use of choke collars and electronic collars is common practice with this group, causing increased stress on the dog. Many professional hunting dog trainers choose this method because it is faster and easier to force a dog to do something than it is to get them to choose to do the same action. The problem with these two categories of dog training is that they produce inconsistent results and a dog that does not respect their owners. If you do not have your dog’s respect as its leader, you may never see consistent results in training. My method of training is somewhere between the two categories previously mentioned. I strive to help owners develop a meaningful relationship based on trust, communication, and respect by teaching them to be the leader. The majority of behavioral problems are result of poor pack structure in the dog’s living environment. In nature, dogs learn how to properly behave from their pack leader with the use of both praise and discipline. In order to establish yourself as the pack leader, you too need to employ praise and correction techniques. I feel that now is a good time to explain that my “corrections” are 100% nonviolent techniques that will not physically or psychologically harm the dog. Hitting, yelling, choking, pinning the dog to the floor and other abusive techniques have no place in dog training and I PROMISE TO NEVER USE THESE TECHNIQUES. My corrections consist of vocal corrections such as “No” and very slight tugs on the leash. These corrections are only used when positive praise is not producing the desired action. Dogs trained in this method tend to be more trusting and respectful towards their owner, and strive even harder to do what is asked of them. A well-rounded dog should want to obey their owner’s commands in order to please them, while at the same time realize that they are being told, not asked, to perform an action. In order to truly train any animal, you must always maintain a balance between motivation and correction. This method of training is the only way to get consistent, life-long results.
Comments from dog owners I have worked with: “Thank you for the time you spent training my hunting dog and field companion, Max. I am amazed how obedient he is on and off the leash. His intensity and desire in the field is phenomenal. I now look forward to spending time in the fields at Rocky Ridge this fall, watching Max do what he loves.” “Thank you for taking my pup and turning him into a hunting machine. He handles on and off the leash and does blind retrieves very well. It makes the hunt so much more fun now that he listens and handles so well.” “Great job training Chevy! He is finally listening to me, my wife, and my kids. I never thought I would see the day. It is nice to no longer be embarrassed by my dog’s behavior. In fact, I am now quite proud of him and love showing people what he can do. Having a well behaved, obedient dog is an amazing thing. You were able to turn my nuisance pet into my everyday companion and best friend. Thanks again for everything, Mark.” “I can’t thank you enough for all the time and hard work you put into training Piper. She is finally the dog I have always dreamed of owning. As you know, I had taken Piper to another trainer before bringing her into you and was extremely disappointed with the results. In order to get dogs to obey his commands, this particular trainer used the old school methods of intimidation and force. Although Piper did learn to obey his commands, she was terrified the entire time and seemed to be afraid of the trainer. I don’t know how you did it but after coming home from your kennels her personality has changed completely. She still obeys all the commands but now she seems to enjoy the training process. It is nice to see her tail actually wagging as she hunts and she seems to be working even harder to please me. I can’t wait until next hunting season so I can show her off to all of my hunting buddies. Thank you again.” “Now that the season is over, I figure I would give you an update on Maddie, a small black lab that you trained for me this past summer. Overall, she did exceptional. I took her on numerous hunts and she performed great. She works great in front of people and rarely goes out of range. Her desire to hunt was greatly encouraged while under your guidance and training. Her ability to find birds, retrieve birds, and hold the birds (even while they are still alive), is a real treat to watch. Quite a few people I hunted with were extremely surprised to see that high of a quality hunting dog and especially surprised when they found out she was not even a year old. She has really notched it up a level as far as energy since she was with you and is on her way to being a great hunting dog. I just wanted to write to say “great job” and thank you for the quality work you put into her. I am sure some of my friends that have hunted over her will be calling you when they are ready to get a pup and need someone to train the dog right. Thanks again.”
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