Every third time my business line rings, it seems the voice on the other end greets me with, "So, Uncle Matty, how much?" But when interviewing dog trainers, this should be the last question, not the first.

A good trainer initially wants to gain understanding of your needs and your dog in order to determine whether or not they can help. And you'd be wise to first do some investigating into whether that trainer and his or her methods are right for you and your dog. Only then can the two of you talk money.

Some good ice breakers:

— Are you a licensed or certified dog trainer? Certification is not generally required, but it does indicate a dedication to the task and a degree of practical education. Many dog trainers and animal behaviorists qualify themselves as such based on the standard, "I've had dogs all my life!"

— If not certified, what kind of education do you have in terms of animal behavior and, specifically, dog training?

— What is your specialty? Aggression? Housebreaking? Basic obedience? If a trainer specializes in your dog's behavioral problem, you might be on to something. But be sure you ask what their specialty is before you tell them your trouble.

— What training method do you use? Punishment-based training — shock 'em, knee 'em, tackle 'em, bonk 'em? Reward-based training — treats for tricks? Praise-based training — personality-appropriate correction in conjunction with affection and love? The latter, in my opinion, is the only approach that is both effective and humane.

— What kind of results do you get? This is a good time to ask for references.

If your dog's problem is in the home — i.e., hostility toward a family member, housebreaking, chewing or jumping on furniture, digging up the yard — it makes sense to have a trainer come to your home to work with the dog in that environment.

If the dog's behavioral problem surfaces outside the home or if you are interested in basic obedience training, a training class may be effective and less costly. Ask the group trainer the aforementioned questions, and be sure to find out how many dogs are allowed in the class and whether there is an age limit. Puppies younger than 4 months old, or who have not completed their series of shots, should not be enrolled in group training classes for health reasons.

Of course, if you have ample time and are willing to do your homework, books or videos may be a sufficient substitute for a professional trainer. Dog training doesn't have to be complicated. If you go in with a solid understanding of your pup's personality and adhere to a single praise-based method of training, it's entirely possible that you'll find success on your own. Visit unclematty.com for more information on training techniques, books and videos.

Whatever you do, be thorough and diligent in your approach to dog training. As a reminder, I leave you with the following story of a hodgepodge of errant training attempts gone terribly awry:

"We've had Wrigley since she was a puppy, and she has never liked people. We correct her with negative noises and choke collars every time she growls, barks or tries to lunge at someone. We've had numerous trainers come to the house, but only one was able to calm her down during the consultation. He suggested we board her in his training program — "guaranteed" to calm her down and make her confident and comfortable around people. It didn't work, and he has never gotten back to us.

"We've tried to kill her with the kindness of others while muzzled, and have run plenty of alpha drills to ensure she knows she is not the alpha in the house. We've had bloodwork done to test for thyroid problems, and we put her on adult food to take out some of the protein that can cause aggression in dogs.

"In short, we've put all of our effort, emotion, time, stress and $4,000 worth of training into her over the last six months, and we just don't know what to do anymore."

This sloppy "technique" is tantamount to trying to cook one lasagna with six different recipes. The outcome is unlikely to be palatable.

Woof!

Dog trainer Matthew "Uncle Matty" Margolis is co-author of 18 books about dogs, a behaviorist, a popular radio and television guest, and host of the PBS series "WOOF! It's a Dog's Life!" Read all of Uncle Matty's columns at the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com, and visit him at www.unclematty.com. Send your questions to dearuncle.gazette@unclematty.com or by mail to Uncle Matty at P.O. Box 3300, Diamond Springs, CA 95619.

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