The 10 Commandments for Dog Trainers

What every dog trainer needs to hear, whether you’re just starting out or already in the trenches

Dog training is not for the faint of heart. It demands emotional resilience, physical endurance, communication skills, patience, and a deep understanding of both dogs and people. While it is one of the most fulfilling careers out there, it is also one of the most misunderstood, misrepresented, and often mishandled.

If you want to stay in this profession without burning out or losing your mind, these are the ten commandments I believe every dog trainer should take to heart. They are blunt, real, and hard-earned. And they might just save you from making the mistakes most of us had to learn the hard way.

1. Do not overcomplicate the work

Let’s get something straight: just because a rule can be implemented does not mean it should be. Dog training should not feel like moving into a monastery.

Too many trainers overwhelm clients by demanding a total overhaul of their lifestyle, even when their dog is not actually struggling with real behavioral issues. For example, banning the dog from all furniture, removing all toys, enforcing silent, structured walks with no sniffing, and creating a strict “only train with kibble” food plan.

If you are doing this with purpose—because the dog has genuine behavioral issues that require environmental structure—great. But if you are doing it just because, and asking clients to uproot their household routines for no reason, you are not helping. You are creating resistance and confusion.

It is like a nutritionist telling a healthy person to cut out all carbs, sugar, and caffeine when they just want to sleep better. Overkill. And unsustainable.

Here is a simple rule I live by: It is not a problem if it is not a problem.

Is the dog on the couch? Fine.

Is the dog guarding the couch, peeing on it, growling at the kids, or tearing up the cushions? Now it is a problem.

Until then, it is just furniture. And most clients have more pressing things to worry about than whether or not their dog lays next to them during Netflix.

If your client has a real problem, give them real structure.

If they do not, stop creating problems where there are none. You are not making them better handlers. You are just making yourself harder to work with.

Your job is not to force people into your exact lifestyle. Your job is to help them improve the one they already have—by making it more manageable, not more rigid.

2. Use analogies that your clients can understand

Your clients are not dog trainers. They do not think like dog trainers, and they should not be expected to. If you want your message to land, you need to make it relatable.

Analogies are your best friend. Talk about bad roommates when explaining inconsistent behavior. Talk about lousy bosses when addressing unclear expectations. Compare dogs to toddlers, teenagers, or coworkers—whatever helps your client understand the why behind the behavior.

You will see more progress when the client finally gets it. And that often starts with the right metaphor.

3. Set boundaries with your clients

Not every client is a good fit, and that is okay. You are not obligated to work with someone who questions every step of your process or refuses to use the tools you recommend. If you know a dog will not succeed without a certain approach, and the client refuses to get on board, you have the right to say no.

Do not bend your ethics just to keep a client happy. It will cost you more in the long run—mentally, emotionally, and professionally. Trust your gut and stand behind your work. You will be more effective and far more fulfilled.

4. Every dog is an individual

One protocol does not work for every case. The leash reactivity program that changed one dog’s life might do absolutely nothing for the next one. The aggressive dog you helped last month might have responded to structured crating and leash drills, while the one you are working with today shuts down at even mild pressure.

There is no one right way. The longer you train, the more you will see that every dog is a puzzle with a different solution. Learn patterns, but do not become obsessed with templates. Adapt to the dog in front of you.

5. Take a real day off

Burnout is real. It creeps up on you slowly, and by the time it hits, you are already running on empty. The answer is not to grind through it. The answer is to build regular rest into your schedule before it becomes urgent.

Pick one day each week where you do not take calls, do not answer emails, and do not train anyone’s dog—including your own. Set up a voicemail that lets people know to text if it is an emergency, and then honor your own boundary. The dogs will be there tomorrow. You need rest today.

6. Be honest and transparent with your clients

If you are using a tool or technique that your client might find harsh or confusing, do not hide it. Show them. Explain it. Demonstrate the before and after. Talk them through the process with honesty and empathy.

Transparency builds trust. It also prepares them to continue the work when their dog goes home. If you leave them out of the hard parts, you are setting them up to fail.

Encourage clients to visit during board and train programs. Let them see the messy middle. The extra time it takes will be worth it when the dog transfers home successfully because the owner understands the process.

7. Do not get lost in the technical weeds

Dog training is a science, yes. But your clients are not interested in textbook reinforcement ratios or lecture-style breakdowns of behavioral quadrants. The more you geek out on theory, the more you risk overwhelming people who just want their dog to stop biting the mailman.

Know the science, but do not bury your clients in it. Speak their language. Train the dog in front of you and adjust your reinforcement or correction levels based on real-world results—not what some chart said should work.

8. Avoid trash talking other trainers

Especially online. You rarely know the full story behind a training video. You were not in the room. You do not know the dog’s bite history, medical issues, or what came before the clip. Most of the time, judgmental comments just make you look petty.

If you have feedback, offer it constructively and in private. If you see abuse, speak up. But if you are just upset that someone uses a different tool or philosophy than you, maybe take a breath and keep scrolling.

Trainers who are truly skilled do not feel threatened by different methods. They stay curious, not combative.

9. Do not marry yourself to one tool

The prong collar is not magic. Neither is the slip lead. Neither is the e-collar. Every tool has its strengths and its weaknesses. If you build your whole philosophy around just one, you are doing a disservice to the dogs who might thrive with something else.

Have your go-to tools, sure. But stay flexible. The more tools you know how to use, the more dogs you can help.

10. Never stop learning

Shadow other trainers. Attend workshops. Read books. Watch webinars. Stay curious, even when you feel like you have it all figured out.

Some of the best things I have ever learned came from trainers whose philosophies were nothing like mine. Even if you do not agree with everything they do, there is almost always something to take away—a better leash handling technique, a new game, a fresh way to explain a concept to a client.

The second you stop learning is the second your work starts to suffer.

Final thoughts

There is no perfect dog trainer. There is only the one who is still showing up, still learning, and still doing the work. This field is messy. It is hard. It can wear you down. But if you keep these commandments close, they will help you stay grounded in what really matters.

Show up with integrity. Train with clarity. Learn with humility. And take care of yourself along the way.

You are not just training dogs. You are shaping lives.

And that is worth doing right.