The Educated Dog
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An educated dog is a healthier, happier dog. By training your dog, you will not only strengthen the bond between you and your dog, but build their confidence and reduce any anxiety your dog may be feeling.
An Educated Dog:
- Allows you to handle every part of his body; to check for injury or illness and/or to give him medication.
- Has good manners, so he can spend most of his time indoors with his people, which means more supervision, less boredom, and fewer opportunities for mischief. The more time you spend with your dog, the more likely you will be to notice when something is wrong with him, such as a limp, a cough, a sensitive area, or loss of appetite. By recognizing such irregularities early, you can seek medical attention immediately and, hopefully, prevent more serious problems.
- Wants to stay near you which means he will have less opportunity to get into trouble.
- Will walk or run beside you on a leash without pulling, dragging, or strangling, so you and your dog can get more exercise and spend more time together.
- Knows that "drop it" and "leave it" are phrases that mean business, so he will have fewer opportunities to swallow dangerous objects. He also can be taught what things and places are out of bounds, like hot stoves, heaters, or anxious cats. However, you will still need to limit his access to dangerous places when you cannot supervise or instruct him.
- Will "sit" immediately. No matter what danger may be imminent, a dog that is suddenly still is suddenly safe. And a dog that will "stay" in that position is even safer.
- Understands his boundaries, knows what's expected of him and has few anxieties. Less stress means a healthier dog.
Selecting a Class
Check the Yellow Pages under "pet training" or "dog training" or visit www.apdt.com and click on trainer search. Your local park or recreation department may also offer classes in your neighborhood. Here are some tips to help select an obedience class that's right for you:- Quality obedience instructors are knowledgeable about many different types of training methods and use techniques that neither the dogs nor their owners find consistently unpleasant.
- Good training methods focus primarily on reinforcing good behavior. Use of choke chains or pinch collars or using collars to lift dogs off the ground ("stringing them up") are not appropriate or humane training methods.
- Quality obedience instructors communicate well with people and with dogs. Remember that they are instructing you about how to train your dog.
- Specific problems you may have with your dog may not be addressed in a basic obedience course. If you're seeking help with house soiling, barking, aggression, or separation anxiety, ask if the course covers these issues – do not assume it will.
- Ask the instructor what training methods are used and how they (the instructor and staff) were trained. Also, ask to observe a class before you commit to one. If you're refused an observation, or if your observation results in anything that makes you uncomfortable, look elsewhere.
- Avoid anyone who guarantees his or her work; whose primary methods focus on punishment; or who wants to take your dog and train him for you (effective training must include you and the environment in which you and your dog interact).