Articles

Without proper dog behavior training, a dog will be a pain in the neck around the house. There are many aids available to help this process, from dog training videos to books to classes with trained teachers. The most basic training can be done using a paperback book from the library or in a "sleepover" dog training school.

Ideally, you should start dog behavior training when the dog is a puppy. After a dog is part of the household and no longer kept in the nursery box, a dog owner should start teaching that dog about what behavior is acceptable. Some instincts that are normal for dogs, such as chewing objects to make their baby teeth feel better, is destructive and therefore unacceptable to most dog owners. Therefore, it is important to have toys and treats on hand to help modify the dog's behavior.

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.

Most people would be comfortable housebreaking their dog, but more complex issues may require the assistance of a professional in dog behavior training. A professional can help train your dog to respond to simple verbal commands, as well as train it to act as a guardian for your home. Sometimes a dog training video can help with this. There are also online resources that can help with training your dog.

When attempting to train your dog, it may be necessary to call in a professional, especially in cases where the dog owner has no experience with the specific area, like crate training. Even if you've owned dogs growing up, you may not have had any experience training a dog to accept a crate when the owners are away. Many dog owners find it easier to find a training campus, rather than going through trial and error. Using a crate should not be an excuse to ignore a dog for hours at a time, and the decision should be weighed carefully in consideration of the specific animal.

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.