About DogTrainerCheck — Different dogs. Different needs.

Why DogTrainerCheck was created

Finding a dog trainer should be straightforward. But for many dog owners, it isn't.

Search online and you'll find plenty of trainers. The difficult part is knowing which trainer is right for you and your dog.

Dog trainers have different backgrounds, experience, services and specialist areas. Some concentrate on puppies and general training, while others have particular experience with issues such as reactivity, aggression, anxiety or resource guarding. Others specialise in areas such as gundog work, scent work, assistance and therapy dogs, or working and sporting dogs.

The trainer closest to you isn't necessarily the trainer best suited to what you need help with.

That's why DogTrainerCheck was created.

We wanted to provide a better way for dog owners to search, compare and make an informed choice based on more than simply who happens to appear first in an online search.

Allan Ritchie as an RAF Police Dog Handler — Allan Ritchie MGoDT (MPDTI) Founder, DogTrainerCheck

Allan Ritchie today with his dog — Allan Ritchie MGoDT (MPDTI) Founder, DogTrainerCheck

The experience behind the idea

DogTrainerCheck was founded by Allan Ritchie MGoDT (MPDTI), who has spent more than 40 years working with dogs. From his early career as an RAF Police Dog Handler through to many years working professionally with dogs and their owners.

That experience helped shape one of the fundamental principles behind DogTrainerCheck:

Our founding principle

Not every trainer is the right trainer for every dog or every problem.

Dog training covers an enormous range of needs.

An owner looking for help with a new puppy is in a very different position from someone dealing with serious aggression, separation anxiety or resource guarding. Likewise, a trainer who is excellent at general training may not have the particular experience another owner needs for a more complex behavioural problem.

Sometimes, the right decision is for a trainer to recognise that another professional may be better suited to a particular dog or situation. That isn't a criticism of the trainer. It's recognition that different dogs need different expertise.

This understanding is at the heart of DogTrainerCheck. Rather than simply helping owners find the nearest trainer, DTC is designed to help them explore a trainer's experience, services, specialist areas and approach, giving them better information with which to decide who may be the right fit for their particular dog and circumstances.

Finding the right fit

DogTrainerCheck starts with two simple questions:

1

Where are you?

2

What do you need help with?

From there, DTC matches those requirements with trainers whose profiles indicate that their services, experience and specialist areas fit what the owner is looking for.

Owners can explore trainer profiles, learn about their background and approach, see the services they provide and read Verified Client Reviews before deciding who they'd like to contact.

We're not here to tell owners which trainer to choose. We're here to give them better information to help them make that choice for themselves.

Neutral and independent by design

Dog training is a broad profession.

Trainers can have very different backgrounds, qualifications, memberships, experience and approaches to training. There are also strongly held opinions within the profession about methods, philosophies and professional organisations.

Having spent many years within the dog-training profession, Allan understands those differences and the strength of feeling that can sometimes surround them.

That's one of the reasons neutrality is built into DogTrainerCheck.

We don't promote one over another:

Training method, philosophy, qualification or professional organisation.

Worth knowing

A trainer appearing on DogTrainerCheck does not mean that DTC endorses their methods, nor is DogTrainerCheck an accreditation or professional membership body.

Our role is different

We provide information that helps owners understand who a trainer is, what they do, the experience they have and where their particular strengths lie.

The decision remains with the dog owner.

Reviews you can trace to a real client

Reviews can be extremely useful when choosing a trainer, but it's also important to understand where those reviews have come from.

That's why Verified Client Reviews are an important part of DogTrainerCheck. Our review system is designed to establish a genuine connection between the person leaving a review and the trainer they worked with.

Both positive and critical experiences can provide useful information to another owner considering that trainer.

What verification means

We've taken reasonable steps to establish that the review relates to a genuine client interaction.

What it doesn't mean

Verification doesn't mean DogTrainerCheck agrees with every opinion expressed in a review.

Search. Compare. Check. Choose.

1

Search

Find trainers in your area.

2

Compare

Explore their experience, services and specialisms.

3

Check

Read Verified Client Reviews and learn more about the trainers you're considering.

4

Choose

Make your own informed decision about who feels right for you and your dog.

Better dogs. Brighter futures.

Ultimately, DogTrainerCheck is about creating a better connection between dog owners looking for help and the trainers who may be able to provide it.

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Not every dog needs the same thing.
Not every owner is looking for the same thing.
And not every trainer does the same thing.

Different dogs. Different needs. A better way to connect.

DogTrainerCheck - Find the Right Trainer.