7 Areas To Cover When Training Your Dog
Source from: americanchronicle.com
By Kenneth Elliott
Dogs are said to be mans best friend. But I will take it a little further than that. A well trained dog will become your best friend. Beyond being well socialized, a well trained dog removes the stress of the likelihood of biting someone. They also tend to stay calm in distracting environments. Not jumping up on people and being much more curtious on household furniture.
Also, well trained dogs are more likely to stay with the same owner, as opposed to being abandoned to the pound. Owners with well trained dogs are more satisfied with their decision on owning a dog. One research report from the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association found that 96% of shelter dogs had never had any training.
Training your dog helps to teach them boundaries, thus making them more comfortable around humans. There are many different dog training programs and many professional dog trainers. However, just because someone has a business card doesn’t mean they are a qualified trainer.
Finding a qualified trainer does not have to be a lot of work. If your friends have well trained dogs, ask them if they know of a good trainer. Also, take advantage of networking at your local park. While walking your dog ask other dog owners who they recommend.
Once you have found a trainer, ask them what method of training they teach. There have been dozens of different training methods for dogs that have been in and out of fashion over the years. Ask the trainer what method they use, why they use it, and what the benefits of it are. Also ask for references.
Whether you train your dog yourself or find a professional, teaching your dog commands and socializing it is important. Areas to cover in training include:
1. Socializing to strangers: This is easy to accomplish while out walking your dog around the neighborhood and introducing them to people.
2. Socializing with other dogs: You can do this at dog parks, or even better in a dog training class.
3. Leash walking at a steady pace: You can start this training as soon as you get your new dog.
4. Crate training: This is important, especially to build up a tolerance to stay in a kennel environment for several hours.
5. The sit command: This is usually the first command new owners teach their dog.
6. The down/stand command: These commands help develop boundaries for the dog.
7. The stay command: This command is important for your dog to master, especially in an environment with a lot of distractions.
There are many benefits to having a well trained dog. But it doesn’t necessarily mean the dog will not develop behavioral problems down the road, like separation anxiety. Simply put a well trained dog is a joy to be around and strengthens the human-animal bond.
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