Sometimes, despite the best efforts of dog owners, a dog does just not socialize well. In some cases this is due to the particulars traits of the breed coupled with an owner that is not experienced enough in understanding and responding to these behaviors. Other situations where owners may feel unable to help with training include dogs that have changed their socialization and gone from very well socialized to very timid or aggressive dogs for no apparent reason. Yet other issues include dogs that have been rehomed or dogs that have been abused and are having difficulty in different situations or in responding and trusting their owners.
There are several different professionals that you can involve in your dog's overall behavior and socialization efforts. In reality there are very few dogs that cannot achieve a good working level of socialization provided the owner is willing and prepared to spend many hours working patiently with the dog. In situations where the dog has been severely abused, owners may need to be more realistic as to what they can truly expect of their pet with regards to socialization and ability to interact. Professionals can also help owners with this reality testing and help to establish training programs that will meet the desired and appropriate outcomes.
Veterinarians
One of the most important professionals in your dog's life is the vet that you choose. Your vet needs to be knowledgeable, experienced and empathetic to your needs as well as those of your pet. If your vet never seems to have time to answer questions, dismisses all your concerns or really doesn't seem to care much about the issues you raise during the examination you really do need to find another vet. Typically this is not an issue as vets understand that often behavioral changes are the first signs of health issues in dogs.
Dogs that suddenly go from very happy go lucky, well socialized pets into very timid or very aggressive dogs can be suffering from viral conditions, neurological disorders or even from different types of pains and illnesses. The first step in verifying that the behavioral change or temperament change is not due to a medical condition that needs to be treated is to get your dog in for a complete check up. For some dogs this will include blood tests, scans, x-rays and even more in depth types of neurological testing.
One way to help your vet is to make sure that you detail the changes in behavior as well as any other changes in the dog's life. For example even a move to a new house or apartment can cause stress levels to increase for your pet as can a new addition to the home, the loss of a companion pet or even someone moving out of the family home. In addition hormonal changes as your dog ages can also cause behavioral issues, especially if your dog has not been spayed or neutered.
Professional Trainers
Sadly there are a great number of people that claim to be professional dog trainers that really aren't. If you are looking for a professional it is important to check both qualifications and references, especially if your dog is exhibiting challenging behaviors. Professional trainers may provide group training or classes or they may also offer individual training. Some trainers will even come right to your home to work with both yourself and the dog. You need to check with the trainer to ensure they have experience in working with your breed as well as with the issues that you are dealing with.
A good trainer will give you information on the model or style of training they prefer and will answer all your questions up front. Look for trainers that use methods that you are comfortable with and that have the same philosophy as you do with regards to training. The trainer should also be able to explain why they are using particular techniques and should take the time to listen to your concerns and problems with the dog. The trainer may correct what you are doing or may provide suggestions has to how to more effectively socialize and work with your dog, after all that is what they have been hired to do.
There are several different types of certifications that a professional dog trainer may hold. These can range from very specific types of training to actual college or trade school degree or certifications. Don't be afraid to ask what training or qualifications the professional trainer has he or she should be willing to provide that either in their brochure or on the website.
Canine Behavior Specialist
For really in depth problems that don't respond to general behavioral modifications, you may need to work with someone that has very specific experience. A board certified Companion Animal Behaviorist must have at least a Master's Degree in a related field as well as courses in various topics such as psychology in animals, animal behavior, practical animal training and other very specific courses. These professionals are not common in most areas so you need to be prepared to do some searching around and also possibly wait to get into see the behaviorist.
These professionals are trained to look at the whole environment and work with both the owner and the dog to correct the problems and issues that are leading to the behavior. For dogs with high levels of anxiety, self-mutilating behaviors, high levels of aggression or dominance or even separation anxiety this personalized and individualized services can be very effective.
Be very careful of people that claim to have years of experience as a behavior specialist with dogs put have no certification or qualifications, nor seem willing to provide any information about their theoretic perspective on training and modifying behavior. Like trainers, there are a number of people out there that are simply good at working with dogs, which is fine, but they are not certified canine behaviorists. Your vet may be the best source of finding these professionals as opposed to browsing the internet or looking through the yellow pages.
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