Training your dog is a task that can be quite troublesome, depending on the dog you are working with. Whether it is your first time training a dog, or your dog is particularly stubborn, there is a chance that you might run into some problems.

It could be that your dog simply isn’t responding to the training that you are offering it. Or, it could be that you are trying to prepare yourself before the massive undertaking that is trying to train a dog properly.

No matter what your reasons might be, you will quickly find that there are many, many resources out there for you to choose from. Out of the plethora of mediums that you can choose from, sometimes it can help people out to either see the trainers in action, or to simply see how people convey the idea of training dogs. This makes videos focused on training dogs something that you should give some thought to if you are looking for resources on dog training.

What Should You Look for in Dog Training Videos?

As you begin your search for the best videos out there, you will find that there are a lot of videos to choose from. For people who do not quite know what they are looking for, it can be easy to become overwhelmed by the sheer number of videos out there to choose from.

With that being said, there are a few things that you should try to pay attention to first. Knowing what to look for in a dog training video will help you out immensely when you begin the journey of training your own dog.

Searching for Credentials

One of the most important things that you will need to pay attention to is going to be who is making the video and what his or her credentials are. If you cannot find any credentials on the person making the video, then it might be safe to assume that he or she doesn’t have any qualifying credentials.

Generally, you will want to look for people who have studied animal behavior, particularly dog behavior, for some length of time, as this will provide them with the knowledge needed to know how to effectively train a dog.

If anything, this should be the first thing you begin looking for when you are searching for a reliable source to train your dog from.

Searching for Reputation

Similarly, you are going to want to look for the reputation of the video’s creator, if you can. While it is not necessarily a requirement, it is something that can help you choose to rely on one video over another.

For example, if you are able to choose between Dr. Ian Dunbar, who founded the Association for Professional Dog Trainers, and someone who is a behaviorist for dogs, there’s a good chance that you will want to rely on the person who is essentially the father of modern dog training, even if both creators are qualified to be speaking about dog training. This is just one example of why you should consider these aspects before you go searching for dog videos.

Searching for Community Thoughts

Finally, if it is applicable for the types of videos you are searching for, you are going to want to try and find comments to try and get a vague idea on whether or not the training processes shown in the video you are looking at were actually helpful to anyone who may have watched the video.

This can help you get a good idea of how difficult the training shown might be, whether or not it works, and if there were any other major flaws in the video that you should be aware about.

While this should not be something that you rely on in entirety, it can help you decide which videos are going to be the ones that you use to help you out with your dog’s training.

Finding the Best Videos Out There

Now that you know a little bit more about what you should be looking for, you can begin thinking about what type of videos you should be looking for.

One example of someone that you can trust to provide you with reliable and well-sourced videos is the earlier-mentioned Dr. Ian Dunbar. As he is considered the father of modern dog training, you can expect his videos on training dogs to be well-informed and easy for anyone to understand.

Do keep in mind that some of his methods are somewhat outdated, but the knowledge and ideas behind the training still stand as something you should learn before you begin training a dog. While he does offer plenty of free videos to watch, there are also paid subscriptions on his website that you can opt for, if you appreciate the free content.

Another idea of good videos to look at are quick and simple how-to videos. Not everyone has the time or the energy to sit down and listen to a talk about how to teach a puppy not to perform a specific behavior.

Instead, when you are presented with the information you need in a quick and easy-to-follow format, you can absorb the information that you need before you know it. While there is a limited selection of these videos out there, the videos offered by JoAnne Basinger in combination with Howcast are a great way to get started with training your dog with the assistance of videos. As for Basinger’s certifications, she is a graduate in a prestigious school for dog trainers, the Jean Donaldson’s Academy for Dog Trainers, meaning that she has been studying the best way to train dogs for a considerable amount of time.

Can Videos Help You Train Your Dog?

When all is said and done, there are actually a fair few benefits that come with relying on dog training videos to help you out when you are first training your dog.

For one, it is extra information that comes at no extra cost to you, which is something that many people can appreciate. At the very least, the ones that have a small subscription service are ultimately going to be less expensive than taking your dog to training courses.

Speaking of training courses, you aren’t going to have to worry about setting up a time and place where you can begin training your dog. Instead, with the assistance of videos, you can choose to watch them whenever it is most convenient for your schedule. Similarly, you won’t need to go through the effort of trying to find a place to get training lessons from either, as most people can access videos from their smartphones alone, which most people carry just about everywhere.

Conclusion

Last and most certainly not least, you will have a world of information at your fingertips. Of course, there are plenty of knowledgeable and capable dog trainers out there.

However, it can be expensive and time-consuming to find one who can train your dog in “everything,” or teach you everything there is to know about caring for a dog.

On the other hand, there are videos for just about every dog training situation you can think of. This versatility that the online platform offers is something that many people can appreciate when they are trying to find the best way to collect information on training a young puppy. Before you know it, you will be ready and able to begin teaching your dog all of the basic commands.