I didn't really know what I should look for when seeking a professional dog trainer. As a first time pet owner I did my best to train myself but my knowledge was limited and to be honest the online resources, particularly YouTube, just aren't that sophisticated. Not to mention most of the techniques they will suggest are proven to be counterproductive (sticking the face in the poop mom and dad).
So, I did a quick google search and went down a few links and saw a trainer with all five stars. I got in contact with Mike, the owner and trainer, who walked me through the different types of training packages (the options are nice). I opted for the private lessons regarding general obedience. Even though I really only wanted training for specific problems, I soon realized a full set of obedience work would produce the results I wanted. My pup is at his best behavior and while he is a work in progress, all dogs are, I've seen significant improvements with just 6 lessons and will continue to in the months and years to come. The most valuable thing from the whole experience is that the lessons are not about training your dog, it's about training you how to train your dog. Everything falls into place after that. I'd recommend Mike to any dog owner, experienced or a first timer.