Making sure your dog has the best care is part of pet ownership. Dogs make great best friends companions and and can act as guard dogs and since they depend on us for their care it is our responsibility to look after them properly. Inside you will read about products and techniques that might help keep your dog happy and healthy.
Obedience Training for Your Dog
We’ve all encountered them at some point. Ill-mannered dogs. We’ve even seen their owners yelling at them tugging at their leashes trying to make them behave. What is sad is that you can’t blame the dog for the owner’s irresponsibility.
This type of behavior could have been avoided with obedience training. Obedience trainng is a platform for the dog and the owner to learn how to effectively communicate with one another.
Can you conduct obedience training on your own? This is a question that has long been debated by the experts. One school of thought is that it would be better if a professional does the training
while others feel the owner can do it if they feel competent. The truth is that a combination of trainer and owner is probably the most effective.
Find an obedience school in your area. You will probably be told that they recommend a series of lessons that include both the dog AND the owner. Sometimes the classes can be arranged where trainer comes to your home. Some trainers feel that training where the surroundings are familiar is helpful where some prefer their own location.
However whether the obedience training is done at home by a professional trainer or in an obedience school there are things that must be considered when incorporating this kind of training. Here is a list of the things that should be taken into account.
1. Fun
Obedience training does not necessarily mean that strict rules should be imposed. This is because the dog is not aware of the reasons why he should be trained. Therefore for him to respond to the commands the training must be done in such a way that the dog sees the activity as something that is fun.
The dog should be praised when he exhibits proper behavior. Some trainers also recommend treats and some do not. That should be discussed with your trainer.
2. Consistency
During the course of obedience training it is very important to have consistency in the training. For example if a dog was allowed to sit on the rug the other day and when the dog tried to sit on the rug today he was scolded. Things like this should not be taken for granted. It is extremely important to teach the dog what he should and should not do and stick to it. Confusion will only make the matters worst.
3. Obedience training instructor/trainer
When people choose to enroll their dogs in an obedience class it is important to analyze the trainer before the owner leaves his dog. The character and personality of the trainer is extremely important. They should be professional enough to know how to handle the dog’s behavior and how to train them properly. Again you might want to find a trainer that works with both you AND your dog.
4. Referrals
It is best not to try new and unfamiliar obedience training schools. This could be really risky both for you and for your dog. It would be better if dog owners will ask for some referrals from their veterinarians dog breeders or other people who can give their honest opinions.
5. Charges
Not all obedience training schools are created equal. They vary depending on the kind of services they offer. It is best to consider their fees and what services they offer at that rate. This is one area where you don’t want to scrimp so cheapest isn’t always the best. Also make certain you are dealing with a trainer that will work with both you AND your dog.
6. Methods used in the training
It is highly recommended that dog owners ask about the methods being used in the training. Make sure the terms are spelled out clearly. Shop for the best training you can find for the money. Don’t make a decision quickly. If you don’t feel comfortable with one individual by all means keep looking.
There are some dogs that just seem to follow directions with little or no effort with never a session of profession training. Unfortunately these examples are few and far between.
Invest in obedience training and you can look at a long and healthy relationship with a loving companion. With obedience training
dogs will surely be on their way to happier and more enjoyable stay with their masters and the people around them.