If you have a dog and you need to train it but you don’t have the energy, patience or time to devote to it, you aren’t alone. This is an undertaking that requires a lot of all of these things, and what you want is a safe, well adjusted dog and for you to be happy with the results, too. What may help you get there is to hire a professional dog trainer.

When it comes to hiring a dog trainer, in general, the quality and cost will vary. Training philosophies, too, will also vary considerably between trainers, focused on human and animal interactions as they are. Therefore, utilize these parameters to narrow down your selection.

Determine what your budget is going to be. The cost of the services you hire will vary depending on where you live and what services you use. You can sometimes use free services, often supplied weekly to parks or shelters by volunteers, or you may pay $100 or better per session. What’s a reasonable fee for you? That will vary, depending on where you live, the experience of your trainer, how long the program is, and what your goals are for your dog.

Take a look at your schedule. Some training programs happen every week, others do so more often. You may have to leave your dog at the training facility and pick it up afterward, or you may opt to sign up for a program where the training involves you as well as your dog. Most training programs do suggest that you spend some time with your dog training him or her every day, either at the trainer facility or at home.

Is a “boot camp” training program right for you? In this case, your dog will be taken to a special facility for a length of time, up to several weeks. This type of training is long and intensive, and happens on a very regular basis. However, you shouldn’t have any concerns for your dog, since dogs like this type of training. Toward the end of the training itself, you’ll need to participate in the training, too, so that the dog ultimately sees you as the one to obey.

The results of this type of training school can be amazing. Dogs who complete this type of program usually end up eager to follow instructions and very disciplined. This is true even if they’re not special service dogs. Even so, these dogs usually don’t show signs of frustration or repression. Their moods are bright and they play with energy and gusto.

What are your goals? Do you want your dog to be entered in shows, or do you just want a dog that doesn’t chew on your favorite shoes or pick on other pets? Whatever your goals, you’ll need to train your dog — and do so on a regular basis — to get the results you want. How much training is required will depend on your dog, his age, breed, and temperament.

Some dogs tend to be fearful, either because they’ve been mistreated or because they’re simply shy and submissive. Some dogs may be too assertive, again because they’ve been abused or just because it’s part of their personalities. The type of training you choose will be greatly influenced by the dog’s personality and temperament, your own situation, and the attributes you want to bring out or suppress.

Whatever the goals for your dog, and whatever your commitment and budget, you will want to hire a trainer who has infinite patience, energy, and a deep love for dogs. Most dog trainers have these characteristics very strongly.

Beyond these foundational characteristics, you’ll also want a trainer who agrees with you in philosophy and whose goals match yours. Some trainers insist that in fact, it’s the owner that needs to be trained rather than the dog, and there may be some truth to that. Some trainers are friendly and lenient and seek to “connect” with the dog, while others are more military in their approach. Still other trainers use a mix of both approaches.

It’s likely that you’ll lean toward one training style versus another, but neither training style is entirely subjective. Even if you have disagreements with your trainer, there are likely principles that you’ll agree on nonetheless. Persistence, patience and consistency, as well as the need for the human to be in the “alpha” position, are just a few of these commonly held beliefs.

When it comes to choosing your trainer, ask for recommendations from those you share similar values with and don’t be afraid to shop around. You may have to change trainers over the course of things in order to find one that meets your needs. However, be careful that you don’t change things without careful thought. Something dogs need most is consistency, as well as a steady environment so that they can learn well.