Would you ask your ophthalmologist a question about your toothache?
Every canine-related field has educated, experienced, and trained professionals who work specifically in that field. Why would you benefit from asking someone who, at best, may be a dog lover or pet parent but has no background in any canine-related field?
Breeders may be top in their field but generally have little training knowledge or experience. Seeking the advice of a breeder concerning training your dog, feeding your dog, or medical advice about your dog is generally directed in the wrong direction. Even puppies that have allegedly been paper-trained by the breeder will not be successfully paper-trained or wee-wee pad-trained in your home if you believe the puppy will find the paper or pad in the kitchen while playing in the living room.
Additionally, vaccines and any other pharmaceuticals, such as dewormers, that a breeder gives should be documented and discussed with your veterinarian. Also, remember that the food or feeding method given to puppies by a breeder may not be the most nutritional or commendable. This is also a topic that should be discussed with your veterinarian.
Groomers, dog walkers, pet sitters, and pet food chain store personnel are, for the most part, not founts of information regarding training, nutrition, or medical advice. Friends, relatives, neighbors, and people you meet on the street walking their dogs all mean well and are enthusiastic about sharing their experiences and information. Still, please talk to a professional about your dog.
Veterinarians are highly educated and highly respected for their education, experience, contribution, and dedication to the medical field of animal care and well-being. They are an excellent source of information, and it’s always advisable to consult with a veterinarian if you have any concerns other than medical. However, all additional help and advice about other dog-related fields like training and grooming, for example, should be directed toward experts in those fields.
To take this one step further, there are veterinary specialists in every field of medicine in the same manner as there are specialists in human medicine. If your dog is experiencing eye problems, ask your veterinarian to recommend a veterinary ophthalmologist. Any medical problem your dog may encounter, such as dermatology, allergy, nutrition, cardiology, oncology, or gastroenterology, should be addresses by a veterinary specialist trained in that specialized field.
Like all other professions, dog training involves a range of experienced people, from chain store basics to decades of schooling and experience. Every trainer will have their own methods, ideas of what equipment is best and most effective, and fees that range from seemingly reasonable to off-the-charts. A dog training professional should be able to teach the pet’s parents and family and the family canine. Training can be basic obedience, behavior modification, behavioral conditioning for abused and neglected dogs, social skills, or service training