John Slaughter’s Positive Reinforcement Training

Y'know, in life there are just things that come naturally or are reflex…breathing, crawling, basic motor skills. Dogs and music were like this for me. While as a child I thought "rock star" was absolutely attainable (lol) for some reason, I saw dog trainers as somewhat supernatural and unattainable. Didn't even consider it, although my rapport with dogs was unlike anyone in my family. 

I had a couple of small pets as a kid, including a dog for a tiny period, but I didn't get to enjoy having a dog again until I was in my early twenties. When I realized the communication level I had with the dogs naturally, I couldn't just ignore it. They became very special to me... sometimes much more important than people. By this time... I'm a musician trying to support himself any way he can, still not even giving a thought to dog training as a career, as it seemed just so out of reach. 

After years of anguish and struggle over livelihood path, my wife insisted I see a counselor. It was here that I realized how extremely warm my passion for dogs was ..and if I didn't follow this I was going to continue being miserable.

After a couple of missteps, I decided to just start at a large pet-need retail chain and get through some basics.

This place was in a crisis and was in severe need of dog trainers. So they picked me and 9 others to fast track in 5 days (usually a 6wk course). I was put in a location without a dog trainer and became a senior dog trainer at that store. Being fast-tracked and dumped on my own actually was a blessing in disguise. I learned all on my own how to sell dog training, schedule, organize lessons, and group classes for the area pet parents. I also learned that what people need most is honesty. Empathy came easy but being honest in a soft way was imperative. Some people think it's easier just to rip a band-aid off, but you don't want strangers ripping your Band-Aids off lol. It's about listening and using that info to craft the best path.

I left after a couple of years and started John Slaughter's Positive Reinforcement Training while in dog training school. I also worked for a bit at Stephanie Bennett's Believe in DOG training while my business was growing. While there, I got my ccpdt certification and built some wonderful relationships that I still enjoy today. Now, John Slaughter's Positive Reinforcement Training is just a facet of Relevantdogtraining.com as we continue to build and grow inside, outside of, and “THROUGH” the box, keeping dog training fresh and vibrant with new ideas and journeys.