Not only is the Pittsburgh Home & Garden Show a great place to find a new pet, but also it's a place where you can find a dog trainer for the pet you already have.

Gregory M. Smith of Butler has been in the dog-training business for more than 24 years. This year's show, which opens Friday at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, is his second. In addition to training services, he will be selling the Pet Stop Perimeter Fence System, which he also installs. While the fence is the primary reason he's at the show, training dogs is his life's work.

"I have worked with the FBI and the police. I have trained dogs in other states. I have trained at three major K-9 colleges. I have trained cadaver dogs, bomb dogs and tracking dogs," he said during a recent phone interview.

Over the years, he has seen practically every training problem, but dog aggression is his specialty, he says. Other issues he has addressed include mouthing, jumping, housebreaking, chewing, counter-surfing, running away, barking and not listening.

"You need to mold your dog. Many people let the dog mold them," he says, adding that a pet should be a useful family member, not an annoyance.

He says his fence product is the most technologically advanced on the market, but it is really a training tool rather than an answer to behavior issues. Shocking a pet into submission isn't really what a pet fence is all about, but rather it keeps it in an area where it will be safe. A dog should never be allowed to run straight into the shock zone. So it follows that training is still a big part of the equation. As such, Mr. Smith insists customers take a two-session class when he installs the product.

He trains dogs at their homes or will train them at his house. He even gives private group classes occasionally. Training prices vary according to the needs of the customer.

One class he really wants to develop is a session for people who are thinking of buying a dog. He'd like to introduce participants to different breeds and discuss the inherent problems with each.

He feels many pet problems could be circumvented if people choose a dog that suits their personality type. For instance, if you aren't very active, then you probably don't want a border collie, which requires lots of exercise and mental stimulation to make a good pet. Once you find your match, he says, the next step is proper training.

"People hire me to have me help them," he says. "I'll make sure they do it right, and then we won't have any other problems."

For more information on Mr. Smith's training services or fence installation, call 412-977-7307 or 1-866-544-3647.