Everyone who has ever had a dog as a pet knows how wonderful and rewarding the relationship between a dog and its owner can be.  Often we feel so close to our dogs that we treat them as though they are humans, or like children, and can do no wrong.  Indulging your dog may be meant with the best of intentions but it will contribute to current problems and lead to future problems down the road of a happy co-existence.

We have all known or met dog owners whose dogs seem to be in charge of them instead of the other way round.  These owners constantly find themselves apologizing for their dogs’ behaviors.  If this is the case, both the dog and the owner need some dog obedience training.

Owners may put repetitive bad behavior habits down to their dog’s breed, past life, or something else, because they often don’t understand dog behavior.  Often, such owners will tell you how they have tried to tell their dogs not to do this or not to do that and they’ll say that their dogs completely ignore them.  These dogs ignore their owners because they do not respect their owners.  Like love and trust, respect is a two way street that must be taught and earned.

Dog obedience training is needed for both the owner’s sake and the dog’s sake.  Owners need to learn and understand the basic aspects involved in dog training through books, videos, at-home training programs or structured training classes.  Owners must implement and follow through with their new found knowledge to become the leader of the family pack.

If a dog’s behavior has dramatically changed from what it once was, a precautionary step is to have it checked out at a veterinary clinic before beginning any training.  This is to ensure that the change in the dog’s behavior is not due to pain or a medical condition.  Once an owner is assured that their dog’s health is in good condition, they can then confidently began obedience training.

Obedience training will strengthen a relationship between a dog and its owner.  The rewards to having an obedient dog are many.  Most importantly, an obedient dog will bring contentment both in and outside of the home.