A Well Behaved Dog

The essence of dog training is to have a happy, safe and properly socialized family pet. Whether you own your dog as a puppy or adopt a dog, professional trainers recommend starting obedience training as soon as possible.

Do you envy the dog owner whose dog follows the instruction manual? Loyally walks on their left side and stops walking when their owner stops? Sits on command?

Training requires a disciplined and patient dog owner. It is easy to cave in when your dog just wants your attention and doesn't want to listen to your commands. Reward your dog for good behavior. Positive reinforcement is more effective than punishment. Physical punishment will make your dog afraid of you and break down the trust you are trying to establish.

Some dog trainers prefer a martingale collar. These dog collars provide the convenience of adjustable sizing with the safety of a limited range of choke collar action. The dog collar size adjusts as pressure is applied to the leash. The limited closure guarantees that the collar will not injure pets.

Using a dog leash and either a choke collar or martingale collar, command the dog to sit/stay and slackening the leash. Then command the dog to come. If the dog doesn't come then give the lead a gentle tug while at the same time issuing the command again.

Create an area where your dog will feel comfortable. Whether you decide on a durable plastic or an all wire mesh crate; put a crate mat or dog bed inside the crate for warmth and comfort. Most importantly the crate needs to be the appropriate size for your dog. A large crate can be partitioned as a puppy grows into a dog. Crating your dog is not recommended for extended periods of time day in day out.

Excessive barking is an unwanted behavior that requires attention. Dogs usually bark in a standing or sitting position. Command your dog to lie down and the barking should subside. Dogs don't tend to bark when they are lying down. The command "ENOUGH" spoken in a firm tone also informs the dog to stop barking.

Training a dog can seem overwhelming. The dog owner's role as the pack leader is based on mutual trust. When the trust is established a dog will look to their owner for behavior cues. A dog wants to please their owner and responds to positive reinforcement when they behave appropriately.

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