Investing in a happy dog
By Melanie Chambers • Bankrate.com

Private versus public classes
Private, one-on-one training in your home or at a trainer's centre is also an option and costs between $89 and $105 an hour. Unlike a group setting, one-on-one training allows the dog to do more, say private trainers.

"We can get to the same level (a 10-week course can) in a few hours," says Jeff Cook, president of Bark Busters, a dog training franchise with locations across Canada. For $450, a Bark Busters trainer will visit your home and help with specific issues for the life of your dog.

Cook says this one-on-one training establishes a much needed hierarchy in dog training. "Dogs need leadership as much as they need water and food, and without it, they won't do well."

Swartzman knew this all too well, as Jake would only listen to her husband. So, when she enlisted the help of a dog behaviourist, she was in charge of teaching to ensure Jake would start taking her seriously.

Dubbed the Dr. Phil of dog trainers, dog behaviourist John Wade, of London, helped Swartzman gain control of Jake. "I've noticed dogs who go to group classes learn things that typically don't extend beyond a trick or a sit," says Wade. "Those types of things aren't going to keep your dog off your kitchen counter or off your visitors."

After giving Wade an overview of Jake's issues, Swartzman picked five of Jake's main problems to tackle. After Wade showed her how to deal with them, she was then responsible for being consistent and following through with the dog. She also appreciated that she could make follow-up calls to Wade whenever she liked.

For $115 an hour, Wade uses a holistic approach to correcting and improving behaviour. The minute he drives up to the house, he checks out the situation: Is the dog at the window? Are there nose or paw prints on the door? Then, he'll assess the owners -- what do they let the dog get away with?

For extreme cases, Wade offers a 10-day vacation of sorts in which the dog lives in his home for $1,500 for serious one-on-one training.

A word on breeds
Different breeds have different needs. Border Collies and Jack Russell terriers, for example, were raised as herding and hunting animals. That means they need a lot of exercise and they need to be mentally challenged. When they don't get this, they act up.

Depending on your personal situation, you may want to take this into consideration before buying and training.

In terms of finding a good class for you and your dog, ask your vet for recommendations for dog trainers. Another good resource is the International Association of Canine Professionals' website, where you can find trainers in your area.

Wade's customized approach was beneficial for Swartzman, but every dog is different. "Jake still isn't the perfect dog, but he's improved and if we worked on the training more -- we had a baby in between there -- then he'd be even better."

Melanie Chambers is a freelance writer in London, Ont.