It is always so exciting to bring home your new puppy. There is a lot of responsibility that comes with owning a dog especially if you want to be considered a responsible dog owner. You have to feed her, groom her, provide her with proper health care, and give her a safe place to call home.
But one of the most important things you can do for your new dog or puppy is to provide essential dog training.
Discipline and Behavior
Having a dog that is always misbehaving is not something that you want. They can an be an embarrassment and in worst cases, they can be dangerous.
Training can be a lot of hard work and require a lot of time and patience, but the end result is a well behaved dog that you can be proud of. The bond between you and your pet can be strengthened through training. Take the time to train your dog and set the rules for appropriate behavior. For the best results you should start early.
Dog Obedience Training
Obedience training is also an important part of your dog’s overall training program. Levels of training varies from basic to advanced.
You should at least provide basic training for your dog or puppy. Commands like sit, stay, and come, are all part of basic training. So are house training and leash training.
Of course, you can always progress to a more advanced level. Provide additional training for your dog and you will have a well behaved pet. Destructive behaviors like barking, chewing, and digging can usually be prevented just by including the proper training. Just find a program that meets your needs and provides a results such as Sit, Stay, Fetch.
Puppy training should start at an early age. Some people wait too long to start training their puppies and it makes it a little more difficult and frustrating. Some people believe that it is not possible to train a puppy younger than six months old, but I assure you that is a myth.
Of course there are some skills that are beyond a puppy, teaching many of the commands and appropriate behaviors can start right away. Just do some research to make sure you follow the proper techniques.
There are many different sources of information available - dog training books, ebooks, websites, and even complete training programs. Something else you could do it enroll in group training. You can also hire an experienced dog trainer if your budget allows.
Group Training Classes
Most of the larger pet stores offer training classes. They are usually cheaper since they are in a group setting. You can also ask around as your local area animal shelter or other animal groups may offer free or discounted group training classes.
One added advantage of group training, in my opinion, is that it gives your dog the added benefit of socializing with other dogs and their owners.
Professional and Experienced Trainers
The benefit of a professional trainer is the one on one training that they will provide. Just be sure to ask around for recommendations so that you can find a trainer who is know to provide results.
In my opinion I recommend hiring a professional dog trainer for major issues such as dealing with an aggressive dog. This is not something you want to try and handle on your own.
Conclusion
Owning a dog is a huge responsibility. As responsible owners we need to make sure that our dogs are well behaved and great to be around. Just be sure that you go into any training program with an open mind and the right attitude and you will find that it is a rewarding experience.
And remember, you can always search for more information about dogs.
Posted under dog training
This post was written by admin on January 1, 2008
