If you have a dog and don’t have the patience, energy or time to train him, you’re not alone. This is a task that requires significant effort, especially if you want to have a well-adjusted dog that is happy — and has a happy owner, too. For some people, this means that they need the services of a professional dog trainer.

When it comes to hiring a trainer, quality and cost are going to vary as with any profession. Training philosophies are also probably going to differ significantly depending on the trainer, too, especially because it involves interacting with animals. Therefore, take the following things into consideration as you make your selection.

What’s your budget? It can depend on where you live, but in some cases, you may be able to get training services for free, often done weekly by volunteers in shelters or parks. Or, you may pay for pricier service, up to $100 or even more per training session. What’s a reasonable fee? That will vary, depending on the trainer’s experience, where you live, the length of the program itself and the goals you have 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.

In some cases, you may want to consider so-called “boot camp” training programs. In that case, your dog will go away to a special facility for quite awhile, up to several weeks. The training the dog receives is intensive, happens over the training period of time, and it happens very regularly, too. However, don’t be concerned that this is too hard on dogs. Dogs love this type of treatment. Near the end of this type of training, you, too, will usually have to participate so that the dog’s obedience is “transferred” from the trainers to you.

The results of these programs are often amazing, though. For those dogs who graduate, even if they’re not involved in “special service” types of functions, they are actually eager to follow instructions, and are very disciplined besides. Paradoxically, though, these dogs show no signs of repression and in fact are usually very playful and happy.

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.

Take a look at your dog’s temperament; for example, is your dog fearful, either because he was mistreated before or just because it’s submissive? Or, your dog may be assertive, either because it’s been abused previously and has had to fight back, or simply because it wants to be “leader of the pack.” The training you choose is going to depend on how you want to influence your dog and the characteristics you want to mold.

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 the basics discussed, you’ll also want a trainer whose philosophy matches your own and makes sense to you, and who will respect and match your goals. Some trainers have a viewpoint that “dog” training is really about training the owner, not the dog, and there may be some truth to that a lot of the time. Some dog trainers are more permissive, friendly, lenient, and focus on emotionally “connecting” with your dog, while others are much more commanding and demand respect and obedience. Still others use a mix of these two schools of thought.

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.