Las Vegas Personalized Dog Training

Question
I would like to ask where I may be able to find a personal dog trainer/
behaviorist to visit our family of 4 dogs.  We have attended classes at
Petsmart, but would like a personalized visit by a reputable trainer.  We do
not have any specific issues, we would like some guidance on obedience
training and teaching the dogs to become possible Therapy dogs.  We have a
Jack Russell Terrier, Shiba Inu, Mastiff and Doberman.  We live in Las Vegas,
Nevada and are confused regarding all of the 'trainers' that we are finding on
the Internet.  Which one is any good and how would we know?  Thank you in
advance for your help!

Answer
Hi Suzanne, We do exactly that kind of training and behavior modification. We also train service and therapy dogs. Ask for an canine behaviorist, not just a trainer. Also ask about their education and certification. All of our dogs are trained to be service dogs and therapy dogs with their awards as Canine Good Citizens and are certified through Therapy Dog International. We are also TDI certified trainers. Contact TDI and ask for any evaluators in your area. The evaluators should be able to put you in touch with a good trainer, but you must ask that person if they are educated in Service Dog work and are a behaviorist. Do not be afraid to ask for references both personal and professional. Ask if you may call or email some of the clients that they have worked with in the past (preferably a couple recent past and one distant past). You can also go to Owner Trained Service Dogs and Owner Trained Service Dogs for Beginners, which are both yahoo chat groups. They can help put you in touch with some people in your area. Training for basic obedience and even showing is not necessarily any indication that a person can be a good behaviorist and they probably have no experience training service or therapy dogs. You can also search your area for Service Dog groups, schools, and puppy raisers, who could give you some resources. I just checked my book and did not see anyone in Las Vegas, but my book is not absolutely current. Go to Delta Society's website at www.deltasociety.org, , the Assistance Dog Institute at http://www.assistancedog.org the American Dog Trainers Network at http://www.inch.com/~dogs/service.html the Assistance Dog United Campaign at http://www.assistancedogunitedcampaign.org ADI online at www.adionline.org, IAADP at www.iaadp.org, the Disability Resource Directory at www.disability-resource.com/service-dogs.html.  There are many more groups as well.  IAADP, ADI and Delta Society are probably the best to check.  Remember not all groups are welcoming to people who train their own or have a personal trainer train dog for Service work. They would rather have you get a dog from one of the big corporations who sell Service Dogs and can charge you thousands and thousands of dollars to get a trained dog. I commend you for wanting to take this on yourself with a personal trainer.  A great book to read is Working Like Dogs. It is intended to help people considering a Service Dog realize the training and commitment involved.  Feel free to contact me privately by emailing mccrettons@yahoo.com, put Service Dog Trainers in the subject line if you need further information. Remember that not all dogs work out for therapy and service work.  Many was out. If you have a local Hospice group, you can get involved with therapy work by volunteering your time. Most local Hospice groups have a Canine Companion program for therapy dogs.  Ask them if they have any classes opening up for CGC and TDI testing of you and your dogs. It is worth the effort and you can easily get involved. I do hope this helps you. Leave me some feedback, a nomination (if you wish) and follow up if you have any questions at all. Warm Regards, Susan