Dog Training - Why Training Protects Your Dog
Dog Training Protects Your Dog’s Well-Being and Safety
Even though dogs have been man’s best friend for thousands of years, dogs are essentially creatures of instinct. Most dogs adapt well to life as pets with humans, but we must remember that they have still have wild natures and that their needs and perceptions differ from humans.
Dogs are instinctively hunters and chasers. Puppies and young dogs are particularly prone to chasing after another dog or basically anything that moves. This behavior can be harmful to both the dog and other persons and surrounding property. The last thing you
want is for your dog to lunge at a small child, thinking that the child is a playmate or worse, a threat.
Training a dog from the start to listen to verbal commands from every member of your household is important to prevent this type of situation. By teaching your dog proper behavior, you also protect him from bad consequences. When your dog responds to your commands instead of responding to its natural urge to chase or assert its superiority, you help protect your dog as well as others around him.
Teaching your dog to obey to commands like “stop”or “stay” along with “come here” will go a long way to stopping unnecessary reactions by your dog to unfamiliar or provocative situations. Don’t forget that dogs are by nature pack animals. They naturally seek their role in the pack, whether it’s being the alpha dog or the follower. By assuming the alpha role in your relationship with your dog, you are providing your dog with a sense of security that is crucial to good behavior.
Unlike a real wild animal pack, you don’t need to be aggressive or strong-handed to train your dog properly. The effective use of a leash combined with the correct command will be sufficient for your dog to associate the command with the desired behavior. Leading the dog firmly away from the situation with a command like “stop” or “no” will discourage the behavior. Occasionally, you may need to physically restrain your dog, but never jerk the leash back against the dog’s throat. That will hurt your dog and create more confusion for him.
It may takes several weeks for some puppies to understand commands, but patience and plenty of hugs and praise when your dog gets the commands right will give him plenty of incentive to keep practicing.
