Dog Training

The difference between spending time with a well behaved dog as opposed to an untrained dog is night and day. There are people who think that dogs should be free to be dogs and not turned into puppets for humans. However, the truth of the matter is that most dog training schools simply encourage responsible pet ownership and emphasize the need for all dogs to be good citizens. Every out of control, annoying or aggressive dog creates a bad name for all dogs. Every well behaved, sweet dog will in his or her lifetime, inspire at least a few people to get a dog of their own.

WHO GETS TRAINED IN DOG OBEDIENCE?

Dog obedience classes are classes for both dog and owner. Sending a dog off to be trained by a professional dog trainer is a very outdated idea. Classes today start with puppy kindergarten then move to basic obedience and then advanced obedience for people who are very keen. A puppy kindergarten class will usually consist of a ten week session with a class once a week. The goal of this class is to give the dog a chance to socialize with other dogs and humans learning to behave properly around other dogs and people. What these classes offer to first time dog owners is crucial. Dog owners will learn the responsibilities that go with being a dog owner such as the importance of cleaning up after your dog. Dog owners are taught how dogs think and about how they react. They are taught about how the dog will see them as the alpha dog in the pack and will look to them for direction. Taking a dog obedience class with a young puppy helps the master learn how to bond with their new pet. In puppy kindergarten, first time dog owners probably learn as much if not more than the dog does.

THE IMPORTANCE OF DOG OBEDIENCE CLASSSES

In basic obedience, dog owners are taught how to teach basic commands to their dogs such as sit, stay, come, and heel and down. Again there are people who think that a dog should be free and not be trained according to human whims. But again the truth of the matter is that the dog's life can be saved if he knows a few basic commands. If a dog's leash has been removed that he can run wild and free and something dangerous approaches like an out of control, aggressive dog or a speeding vehicle, a dog who has been through dog obedience can be told to sit and stay. The owner knows that the dog will listen and that they can then walk up to the dog and put the leash back on. Knowing the basic command to sit and stay really can save the dog's life. Of course an obedient dog is easier to live with. It is a very sad fact that many first time dog owners who don't bother to train their dogs any simple commands, sometimes find owning a dog too difficult and dogs do end up at being rejected and sent to shelters and humane societies. People do not find large dogs that jump on people, are badly behaved and don't listen at all as cute as wild and free puppies. And unfortunately training is easier when started as young as possible. Imagine if children were let to run free and do whatever they pleased until the age of fourteen. Expectations and limits must be set. In the wild, the mother will protect her young cubs and not allow certain behaviors. When the dogs are adult and living in a pack it is the alpha dog that will make sure that all the dogs are kept in line so that the pack can live harmoniously.

When humans decided to domesticate dogs it became our responsibility to replace what they had in the wild. As well as food and shelter this includes being taught how to live harmoniously with others.