I disagree, you do not need to hand over your dog in order to learn from a dog training instructor. My belief is that it is important that any dog training instructor be able to teach or coach dog owners, without touching the dog. It's important not only for the protection of the dogs in the class, but for the protection of the instructor. No accusations of impropriety an be made against an instructor who never lays a hand on a student's dog. And an good instructor should be able to do this.
There are very, very few people I would let handle my dogs ever and no one would have them on a first meeting.
I'm with you Barbara I have to really trust and know someone before i hand over something so precious like my dogs
