Originally Posted by WarChild

Well personally I did private training, but the classes save a little bit of money. Usually a series of private classes are not that expensive and they will be structured more or less like this:

The trainer will come, work a bit with your dog and assess his personality. He will also show you some basic corrective methods and how to properly encourage the dog. You'll then work with your dog by yourself usually for 30minutes to an hour a day. The trainer will come back the next week and this process will continue for 6-10 weeks. At the end, you WILL have a well trained dog if you do your "homework" properly.

The thing is that reading dog body language and communicating back with them is a little bit of an art. It varies from dog to dog, breed to breed. The best method for teaching my dogs will ultimately not be the best for yours. There will be slight differences depending on a dog's strength and weaknesses. You're not a professional animal person and probably wouldn't want to be, so why not engage somebody that is? It should only be a few hundred dollars max.

If you're having trouble finding a trainer, you can contact the ASPCA in your area and ask for their advice. Vet offices and animal rescue groups are also good resources. Find someone that uses positive reinforcment methods and comes recommended and you'll be a happy man after.