Can Your Really Train Your Dog Using A Dvd?

How can you train your dog with a DVD? Can you begin training an adorable little puppy when it's still quite young and somehow have a well-trained dog after a while? Or if your dog is older, could you teach it to sit, to stay, to come, to lie down, and to walk on a loose leash?

The answer? Perhaps.

It actually depends on you rather than on your pet. You can easily get a very good dog training DVD, and dogs and puppies are inherently trainable. So the question is: what about you? Can you make the time to get your dog trained? If you want to do it, you can find a DVD that is a tremendous tool to help you, even better than a book in many ways.

Here is what to do. Think about when the training will fit into your schedule. The best is if you can do three to five sessions most days, but even two sessions a day -- likely before you feed the dog breakfast and dinner -- are useful. Several sessions are better than one long one because studies have shown that dogs learn better this way.

So if planning and following through don't bother you, chances are excellent that you can train your dog by using a DVD.

DVD or Class?

In deciding whether to train your dog with a DVD or to take him to a class, one of the main factors is whether you can find a trainer nearby whose approach you like. Positive, pain-free methods work more effectively in training dogs, but many trainers learned their methods years ago and haven't made the switch to the newer techniques. Also, of course, consider the cost and the timing of the classes.

If a good dog or puppy training class is available, it can be useful for helping the dog to be at home with many dogs -- something you will need to develop in any case -- and for learning a lot. Once you and the dog see how much fun it can be to learn new things together, you may want some DVDs to help you continue your dog's lifelong learning.

Choosing a DVD

The best DVD that I have seen on the topic is Train Your Dog: The Positive, Gentle Method, featuring experienced trainers Nicole Wilde and Laura Bourhenne. It's inexpensive yet has everything you need for a great start for your dog.