The Clothing a Dog Trainer Wears
I recently saw a book by a very famous dog trainer on television and she is posing on the front of her book in stiletto high heels and a very cute blouse and scarf. She looked fabulous! But, apparently, she had never had a dog of her own until she finally got a Labrador!
Now, I must say, I am not a book cover type of dog trainer/instructor. I don’t wear stilettos, EVER! Even going to a formal event, I am determined to be comfortable AND presentable! However, I do tailor my wardrobe to fit the activity I am doing. As a trainer/instructor I expect dogs to jump on me, bite my feet, grab my shirt or pant leg, or even pull me over. I even think about what earrings I wear and how I wear my hair depending on the dogs I am going to see. If m day is filled with puppies, you can bet I am not going to wear hoop earrings or a scarf! Can you imagine wearing as scarf as a puppy grabs it while jumping and proceeds to pull me over face first?
Big, unruly dogs have very often jumped on my chest and left muddy paw prints. Just what I want on my $100 Lands End blouse! A Carhartt white t-shirt is great because of the heavy material and my ability to throw it in with bleach to get that dog slobber off!
I have one very famous trainer friend that will make an owner attending his class with flip flops on to go home! No refund for that class, either!
Jeans are critical. Now days, so many are wearing tight fitting leggings or gym shorts with no pockets. First of all, I don’t have the figure for that, but I can imagine any dog with nails a little long tearing a huge hole in those leggings! And, okay, where are the pockets? Trying to carry around a little food with no pockets or a treat bag is horribly clumsy. Where do you attach a treat bag to leggings? Carry a plastic bag? Now, how do you handle a dog with a leash and still be able to simply and quickly get a treat out? I guess you could use praise to encourage your dog, but a dog that lives in a family home who gets petting and love for free is not going to work for praise! When that dog sees something he likes better than praise, you just lost your dog’s attention! Jeans provide good protection from scratches and nips and have great pockets for treats. Shorts don’t protect your legs from a rowdy puppy! I have training jeans and good jeans. They last forever and wash well to get that mud and slobber off!
In the winter, a jacket that is suitable for the temperatures is a must! Mine jackets have pockets everywhere for the tools I need to take along. It is also a must to have a jacket that is washable. After all, we are working with DOGS! YUP, I have training jackets for stinky treats in the pockets that will wash easily. A lovely puppy down filled jacket might not fit the bill! I have good jackets I would never wear to train in.
Then there are boots. Fashion boots are not going to cut it when you are out walking with your dog that is learning to walk nicely on a leash!
Most of these things seem obvious. When you train your dog, think like you are going on a hike in the woods. Wear the right gear. When you meet a new dog trainer/instructor what they wear will tip you off as to how serious they take training. It’s not a fashion show! Would you trust a mechanic that wore a suit? <Sigh> I do wish sometimes, that I didn’t’ have to look like a dog trainer!
