Get Your Dog Trained! Articles | Dogs

By: Dog Maven

Training your dog from the beginning may not seem like that big of a deal or even a necessity, however it is. The better trained your dog is, the happy your dog will be and you and your family will be too. Dogs need and want training and without many times will become unhappy and possibly even misbehave, since they do not have any idea what they should and should not do.

Your dog needs and wants to know that you are in charge and that you are the master. Establishing this basic idea will ensure that they obey your commands and get along well with others. You will also be preventing your dog from acting out and possibly getting into fights with others dogs and getting themselves and others hurt.

Remember that your dog is an animal they do not instinctively know how to behave in society, but that is what you will be teaching them. Starting their training as soon as you get them home will establish your relationship with and immediately get them used to the commands you are giving. In the beginning of dog training it will fun and motivated. You will be giving rewards of food, toys, and praise for their good behavior. Do not use physical punishment whenever possible, this should be a last resort, you do not want to destroy your dog's trust you and the rest of your family.

Also, keeping to a routine is very important when training. Assigning everyone in the household jobs to go along with taking care of your dog, will keep everyone on the same schedule and your dog will know when and where things are to take place. Dogs have short attention spans and need to keep to a routine to remember what they are supposed to do. The more time and patience that you use with your dog, the stronger the bond you will have with your animal.

When you begin your dog training there are two routes you can take, they are:

You train the dog yourself. This will strengthen your bond with your dog and will also cost less. However, it will take a lot of time and energy on your part.
Which leaves the other option of taking your dog to a professional trainer. This will be very costly, however they are used to training many different types of dogs and the dogs will receive socialization through this method.

You also have three methods of training your dog which are:
There is behavioral training which deals with mannerism house training, and actions.

The other type is obedience training which deals with performing tricks like sitting, begging, rolling over, fetching, and standing.

Lastly, there is activity training which involves the dog learning how to hunt, herd, or sport.

Whichever you choose will depend primarily on what your dog will be doing. It does not hurt to teach them all three. This will take a lot of work and time, however you will have a very well rounded and intelligent dog when you are done.

Again, you have chosen to have a dog and you do need to be a responsible owner. Training your dog properly whether you do it or you receive assistance from a trainer really does not matter. What is more important is that you make sure they are well taken care and have no behavioral problems or hang-ups.