Dog Training And Obedience

Writen by Janie Stewart

Obedience training is one of the best things you can do for your dog and yourself. In fact, a well trained dog is by far a happier dog! Why? Because a trained dog requires much fewer restrictions, so the more reliable the dog, the more freedom he/she is given.

Dogs are social animals and without proper training, they will behave just like animals.(A dog is a pack animal. It prefers to be with companions) They can soil your house, chew your belongings, bark at everything that moves, dig up your back garden, attack other dogs and even attack you or your children! Training serves to strengthen the bond between a dog and his owner. It builds communication and mutual respect, and effectively demonstrates to your dog that you're the leader of the pack without resorting to smacking or hitting. Dogs have their own personalities and mindset. They can be stubborn, dominant, submissive, or fearful, characteristics that can make them difficult to own and train.

Obedience training is also an easy way to establish the social hierarchy. Training can be accomplished at home, in an obedience class, or with a private trainer. When your dog obeys a simple command he/she is showing compliance and respect for you. A well-behaved, obedient trained dog is a pleasure to own because he can go virtually anywhere without being a risk or nuisance to others or themselves ( an untrained dog loose near traffic is an accident waiting to happen). At the end of the day dog obedience training really benefits everybody. Remember dog ownership is a big responsibility and there is nothing fast and simple about it, consistency is important in dog training, in fact patience, persistence and consistency are the most important concepts in any kind of teaching. Obedience training should be fun and rewarding for both you and your dog.

When searching for a trainer or instructor to help with training your dog there are different types of training available, remember an obedience instructor works with people not dogs, then the people work with their pets. Whereas a dog trainer teaches your dog to obey, then teaches you how to get the dog to listen to you.

Author is a long term dog trainer and rescuer, see more of her articles on dog training and obedience here, remember a well trained dog is a happy dog and happy dogs make happy owners!