Training - Who Needs It?

     Every dog needs training.  Training makes it clear to your dog who is the leader.  It might surprise you to find out how happy your dog will be to have you take control.  He will no longer feel like he has the responsibility of taking care of you.  Instead, you have the responsibility of taking care of him.  That is how it should be.  Living with you suddenly becomes a whole lot easier because your dog knows his place in the “pack”.

     If you do not become a leader, your dog might start biting, barking, chewing and jumping.  Just teaching a few obedience commands (sit, down, stay, come) can help solve many behavior problems.  Dogs misbehave for lots of different reasons, but at the core of most unwanted behavior is a lack of training.  You will see a change in your dog for the better when you start to train him.

     Training helps strengthen the bond between you and your dog.  He will look forward to his training time and the playtime afterwards.  The more you and your dog work together, the more you will understand your dog.  When you work together as a pack (or team), it gives your dog a job to do for the pack.  Dogs are thinking animals and they need to keep their brains busy.  A bored dog is an unhappy dog. An unhappy dog usually develops behavior problems. Dogs like to think and solve problems.  Training stimulates your dog’s mind.  The more he learns, the more intelligent he becomes.  Pet dogs do not need to perform a perfect competition “front and finish” when you call them to come to you.  They just need to come to you when you call every time.  They do not need to walk at heel perfectly.  On leash, they need to learn how to keep from choking themselves and pulling their owner along behind them.

     It takes time, patience and consistency to train a dog.  An understanding of simple dog psychology and behavior makes the process easier for you and your dog.  Dogs don’t learn new behaviors overnight.  In a rush to stop problem behaviors, owners tend to expect too much too fast from their dogs.  They say, “I’ve tried everything and my dog just won’t stop” (chewing, barking, digging, etc.).  These owners try one thing and if it doesn’t work in a day or two, try something else.  This confuses the dog and makes it very hard for him to learn.  Try one technique for two weeks before trying something new.

     Although most people do not hesitate to consult with a professional for things in which they are not expert, people think nothing of trying to train their dogs without help.  If you need help, or would just like to train with a group of other dog owners, look in the telephone book for a dog club or private trainer in your area.  Before you commit to a class, compare the cost of joining a club with the cost of group classes provided by a private trainer.  Professional trainers’ organizations have online member directories you can search.  Ask your veterinarian, groomer, and other dog owners for referrals.  Lots of people say they can train a dog or cure a behavior problem whether they can or not.  The person you choose to help you should be an experienced, courteous, ethical professional who can provide good references.  Don’t just take somebody’s word about what’s best for your dog.  If you don’t feel comfortable with a trainer’s methods, find another trainer.

     Dog sports are a lot of fun and today there are many from which to choose.  There is competition Obedience, Agility, Conformation, Rally-O, Tracking, Earthdog, Freestyle, Frisbee, and Flyball.  There is Field Dog competition, Mushing, Schutzhund, French Ring, and Lure Coursing.  There is a sport for every dog, purebred or mutt, and for every owner.  Those sports all have one thing in common.  They began with basic obedience training.

Copyright 2004    Kathie Compton

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Kathie Compton is a professional trainer and dog behavior consultant.  She began training dogs in 1967.  Kathie is a member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers, the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants, the Cambridge Center for Behavioral Studies,  and is an AKC Approved Evaluator for the “Canine Good Citizen” program.  As a volunteer, she provides behavior assessments for city Animal Control Services and conducts Bite Prevention and other presentations for educational and civic organizations.  Kathie is the author of “Dogs…Made Easy!tm”.  She has written numerous educational articles for newspapers, websites, and internet forums.  Kathie is the owner of mARFa Dog Training in Marfa, Texas.

http://www.texasdogtrainer.com