These claims are everywhere and are to be found in new media and even in old publications (there's nothing new under the sun, eh?): online websites, blogs, videos, social media, newspaper articles, interviews, magazines, and in books (have I left anything out?). I had an old dog training book I purchased about 30 years ago that claimed the author had trained something like 40,000 dogs.
Online Trainers: If someone sells a video, or posts stuff online for free like a podcast, can they then honestly claim that THEY trained thousands of dogs because someone purchased or watched their stuff? I guess the truth is in the eye of the beholder.
Alternate Scenarios: group classes (usually at least a year to get a meaningful AKC title ribbon); disability /service dogs (5 to 6 months for just one dog); police dogs (4 to 6 months for just one dog); competition dogs (usually at least a year); hunting dogs (usually at least 6 months); etc... crunch the numbers. Is that 10,000 (or you pick the number) dogs trained over X number of years a real number? I just don't think I've met anyone who has trained that many dogs, personally, to any competent level.
When I see someone claim they are the world's best, top, wonder, master trainer guru who has trained 10,000 dogs (or whatever giant number is in their sales materials)... well, those kinds of claims put me on guard, at the very least.
Plan accordingly.
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