February 19, 2026, 12:08 pm | Read time: 6 minutes

The Profession Itself Brings Conflicts

“Shark tank of dog trainers”? Years ago, dog trainer Dirk Biller highlighted the issue in a YouTube video. Dog trainer Katharina Marioth also finds the term “shark tank” fitting. When talking about sharks, one speaks of “seven rows of teeth and constantly growing teeth.” In contrast, dog trainers only deal with “42 teeth in a dog’s mouth.” According to Marioth, the challenges of everyday life should be enough. Yet, the profession itself brings its own conflicts.

Theoretically, Anyone Can Offer Training

She sees a central problem in the lack of regulation: Dog trainer is not a protected job title. Although Section 11 of the Animal Welfare Act has required a proficiency test at the veterinary office for commercial work for several years, this regulation does not apply in club settings. Theoretically, anyone can start a club and offer training—without mandatory oversight.

Marioth compares this to the trades: It would be like being able to roof houses without a master craftsman’s certificate, as long as it is organized through a club. Liability and quality control fall by the wayside.

Positive Reinforcement vs. Obedience

At the same time, clear camps have formed in the scene. On one side are trainers who primarily use positive reinforcement, and on the other, those who focus more on order and obedience. Officially, no one works aversively anymore, meaning with punishment or pressure—”but it still happens,” Marioth says matter-of-factly. What bothers her is: “We have two poles—and forget that the world in between still exists.”

Social Media Intensifies the Situation

The situation is exacerbated by social media. Reach means visibility, visibility means money, such as through partnerships. Marioth consciously avoids this. She does not want to subject herself to this pressure but wants to remain authentic. “It’s easier to speak poorly of someone else than to speak positively of myself,” she says.

That this happens frequently in the scene is hard for her to understand. One should approach colleagues with the same understanding that is demanded in dog training. Those who appear publicly aggressive mainly send a signal about themselves. With a dog, one would say: not particularly confident.

Personal “Bashing” Often Dominates

What is missing, in her view, is a culture of factual debate. “We have not yet learned to express criticism truly professionally,” Marioth says. A constructive exchange would mean saying: “In your training method, I see this and that—explain it to me. I would do it differently.” Instead, personal bashing often dominates.

Dog training is highly personal work with people. She herself gains insights into households that go far beyond the dog’s behavior. In such a context, violence—even verbal—has no place.

“Belief Images Are Always Easier Than Factual Images”

She demonstrates what productive exchange can look like with her own example: Together with the somewhat controversial trainer Andreas Ohligschläger, she runs the podcast “Two Trainers, Two Leashes.” Both represent different approaches, seeing themselves as “pole and counter-pole.” This is precisely why the dialogue is so valuable. They learn from each other—and ultimately, the dogs benefit.

That debates are often ideologically charged does not surprise Marioth. “Belief images are always easier than factual images,” she says. However, dog training is not a static concept but a “highly complex social system”: the dog with its history, the person with their history, often a family in the background.

“No one worldwide has the one solution.” One must look objectively but empathetically at where a team can be met. Black-and-white thinking does not help—except when it comes to violence. “That’s where every discussion ends for me.”

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No Dialogue, but Verbal Violence

Especially with aggressive dogs, the hardening of fronts becomes apparent. Critical voices under social media posts are quickly dismissed with comments like “Then you take the dog in.” For Marioth, this is not dialogue but verbal violence. And she draws a remarkable comparison: The scene sometimes lacks exactly what is preached in training—frustration tolerance and impulse control. Even she admits her pulse rises with some posts. But the crucial question is how much attention and energy one gives to such impulses.

Her wish for the industry: more interdisciplinary conferences, more exchange between camps, more willingness to listen. She is pleased about colleagues attending her seminars–even if they ultimately decide not to adopt her approach. “That is also learning,” she says. The goal must be to speak normally with each other again—”and not to linger in aggressive behavior like the dogs we train.”

Good Trainers Recommend Colleagues Instead of Badmouthing Them

But what does this mean for dog owners? How do you recognize a confident trainer? Marioth advises asking questions: How does the first conversation go? How is the work done? Do you have to commit to ten or fifteen hours immediately? Package deals or promises like “the only true course for leash training” or “stop leash aggression in 30 seconds” are unreliable. “That can’t work. Dog training is individual.”

Equally important is the human aspect. If you notice it doesn’t fit, you should address it openly. A professional trainer will even recommend colleagues where it might work better. She also becomes skeptical if someone offers “everything”—from agility to scent detection. Everyone has their specialties.

Above all, Marioth advises patience. It is not wrong to try several trainers. “Sometimes it takes time to find someone you feel comfortable with.” And if the person enjoys going to training, the dog will too.