Articles

Without obedience training, you may find that your new "man's best friend" is more of an annoyance than a comfort. There are a number of options for dog behavior training. Books and videos can be bought or checked out from your local library, or you can look into classes with specialist trainers or overnight dog academies for your new puppy.

Basic dog training should start as young as possible with a puppy, preferably. Once a pup is out of the nursery box and into the household, a responsible owner should begin to convey what conduct is acceptable and what is not. Certain normal canine behaviors, such as chewing on anything that feels pleasant to those baby teeth may be very abnormal to the human master and seen as destructive. Having appropriate toys and treats can be as much a part of dog behavior training as specific behavior modifications.

There are also very specific training issues, such as teaching the dog the right places and times to relieve itself. This is another case where it's important to be realistic and aware of the normal range of canine behavior. It's not realistic to expect a baby to be housebroken. It's also perfectly reasonable for more mature dogs to have an accident now and then. It's not reasonable or appropriate to expect a dog to wait 12 hours for the chance to eliminate. The dog's needs must be met in order to get the desired behavior from the dog. It's helpful to put down newspapers in a specific place or somehow make a specific "rest stop" that a dog can use in the case of emergency.

Housebreaking may be a dog behavior training most people are comfortable doing themselves, but more complicated behaviors may require the help of a professional. This can range from simple commands like sit and stay and heel to more complicated behaviors such as those for home security. Televised programs on dog training may help and can often be purchased as videos. Online behavior training help is also available.

Some forms of training, such as crate training, may require professional assistance if the dog owner doesn't have any experience with them. Even if a person grew up with dogs in his home, he may not have seen a dog trained to accept the crate when no humans are around. Many owners prefer allowing professionals to perform the training instead of attempting a trial and error process on their own. Remember that crating must suit the dog's needs and is not an excuse to ignore the dog for hours or days on end.

Dog behavior training must also be realistic. A greyhound may not be trainable to live in a penthouse with no opportunity to run and exercise for example. A professional trainer can give valuable input about the needs of specific breeds and the personalities of individual pets to make training more efficient and effective.