If you are a first-time dog owner having a new puppy around the house will bring lots of joy and happiness. Dogs are naturally sociable and will enjoy the company of their new human family. There will be endless hours of fun and activities and day outings for everyone to enjoy. However, without some basic dog training, your new puppy could possibly grow up to become the bully of the neighborhood. Older adopted dogs can greatly benefit from dog training too. Only recently President Biden’s dog, Major has returned to dog training school after a second biting incident.
Without any rules or boundaries and no obedience training commands to control his behavior any dog could get up to some serious mischief that could potentially place him in a dangerous situation. In addition, every year thousands of dogs are placed in animal shelters due to behavioral issues that could easily be rectified by some basic dog training.
It is important to understand the benefits of dog training and to teach your dog some basic dog training commands. It is not just about making a dog sit on command to show off that he can indeed sit when you tell him. We are looking at some of the major benefits of dog training and how your dog could benefit from some dog training.
8 Benefits of Dog Training:
1. Leads to Better Communication
With some basic dog training your dog will learn what is expected of him. By teaching your dog obedience commands such as sit, stay, come, watch me, lay down, etc you are developing a vocabulary in common with your dog.
This will lead to better communication between you and your dog. With better communication, both you and your dog will better understand each other leading to less conflict.
Read Also: 10 Common Mistakes New Dog Owners Make
2. Improves Bonding
Dog training will greatly improve the bond between you and your dog. When you provide some basic dog training it means spending some one-on-one time with your dog. This closeness deepens your connection and you both learn a little more about each other. Having a trained dog means it will be easier for you to manage and make owning a dog more of a pleasure.
This is particularly helpful if you have adopted an older dog from an animal shelter. The time you spend teaching dog training will quickly help integrate the new dog into his new home. The bond and closeness you seek with a shelter dog can form much quicker and easier when the dog is being engaged in an activity such as obedience training. Even in this case of being recently adopted, the dog is likely an adult and already knows some commands. But “It’s not about the Sit”, as it were. It’s about bonding and about the fun.
3. Helps Solve Behavior Problems
Dog training will reduce the likelihood of behavioral problems. As we mentioned above many dogs every year end up in animal shelters due to behavior problems. In some cases, dog owners never teach their dogs any type of training and consequently, the dog will not learn the boundaries and behave as they think fit.
When teaching your dog some obedience commands they can be very helpful when you then use them as ‘replacement commands’ for solving behavior problems.
Let me give you an example. Suppose your dog jumps on you when you enter a room. You can scold him for jumping, but then give him a replacement command, such as sit, that he can perform instead. In that way, your dog will quickly learn that when a person enters a room, he should sit. However, your dog must first know the “sit” command in the first place in order to achieve this result. Hence, an example of why dogs should know their commands.
Read Also: 9 Ways To Break Separation Anxiety in Dogs
4. Makes Dog More Responsive & Attentive
Dog training also makes your dog more responsive and attentive. In the example above where the dog jumps on you when you enter the room. The replacement command “sit” helps avoid the jumping situation in the first place.
In addition, your dog now gets positive attention as he obeyed the command sit. This avoids any conflict and any disapproval from you and it also helps your dog better understand and know what is expected of him.
By training your dog to be well versed in obedience commands, you are getting him in the habit of listening to you. This will make your dog more responsive and attentive, which is a great habit for any dog to have.
Read Also: Ways To Solve Issue Of Dog Jumping On People
5. Makes You Become Top Dog
Psychological Dominance of Being “Top Dog”.
At first, your dog may think it is all fun and games, awaiting the next time you give him a command or a training session. After all, he is getting attention and being rewarded for learning things. However, by getting the dog to routinely respond to your commands; you are becoming more dominant in the eyes of your dog over time. This notion of psychological dominance is integral in many dog training methods and in canine training theory in general.
The role of dominance in canine training theory is a full topic in itself but for now, being the “top dog”, the dominant one in the relationship between you and your pet, will result in your dog behaving much better in the long run. Command training is not only valuable for good communication and behavior but has other great benefits for both you and your dog.
6. Added Value & Fun
Having a new puppy for the first time will require a lot of work and patience. However, the time you spend training this new puppy will be a real investment for the future. You will have a better relationship and it adds value to your life. Also, the time you spend teaching your dog commands is just plain fun for both of you!!
7. Better Companion
It helps your dog become a much better companion to you. Nobody likes an unruly dog that is up to mischief constantly. Dog ownership with a well-trained dog will be a pleasure.
8. Helps Develop Your Dog’s Skill Sets
The time you spend training your dog has yet another added value. Skill sets can develop with dogs who have spent time learning commands, words, command combinations, and advanced commands. Skill sets can help make a dog more of a pleasure and less of a chore.
An example of a simple skill would be saying to your dog, “do you want to go for a walk?”. A dog who understands this phrase will get up excitedly and head over to the front door and be waiting for you. A more complex skill would be saying to your dog “bring me the ball”. A dog who understands this will hunt through the house, find his ball, and carry it in his mouth over to you and drop it by your side.
Some clever dog owners with a sense of humor even teach their dog skills by going out to the front lawn and retrieving the newspaper! Whether for fun, bonding, or utility, teaching your dog obedience commands has lots of value-added features in addition or having a well-behaved pooch. It’s not all about the ‘Sit’, but it all starts with the ‘Sit’ dog training command.
.
Conclusion
Having a well-trained dog will most definitely make for a more enjoyable life together. You and your household will benefit greatly from training a dog as it can help solve many of the canine behavioral issues such as being aggressive, biting, barking, jumping, etc. We’re not saying life will be total bliss after you train your dog but it will make things easier in the long run and lead to a more harmonious existence for everyone and who doesn’t want that.
If you are looking for a common-sense, down-to-earth approach to dog training that gives great results then check out the Secrets to Dog Training – Stop Your Dog’s Behavior Problems. It’s well worth it.
