Obedience Training - Why You Should Teach Your Dog obedience
Obedience training is behavioral training, we shape the behavior of the dog by rewarding the behavior we want to promote. Earlier, there was always talk of obedience training because dogs had to be obedient to their owner who was the leader and always in control. Today, there is generally more talk about dog training and the old “dominance” theories are mostly being abandoned and placed on the shelf.
Obedience training is extremely important for dogs, dog owners and our entire community. For example, did you know that most municipalities provide a discount on an annual fees if it is confirmed that the dog has completed the obedience course and passed a certain basic exam? Why should the municipalities do that, of course, they want to reward dog owners who demonstrate responsible behavior and a willingness to comply with community rules with their beloved companion.
Obedience training is behavioral training, we shape the behavior of the dog by rewarding the behavior we want to promote. Earlier, there was always talk of obedience training because dogs had to be obedient to their owner who was the leader and always in control. Today, there is generally more talk about dog training and the old “dominance” theories are mostly being abandoned and placed on the shelf. The relationship between dogs and the owner is like every other relationship we have in friendships, with spouses or children. It is a relationship that is transparent and builds on trust and communication. But whatever names we choose to name it; dog training / obedience training it is always necessary to form a bridge of communication between two different species that express themselves differently.
When we get a puppy ( or adopt an adult dog), he must be taught to behave according to our needs, expectations and patterns of life and also to the rules of the community we live in. Obedience training is a great way to get to know your dog and how he expresses himself. You have a person in your hands who does not understand you, he speaks another language and you need to find an expressive pattern that is suitable for both of you to interact with. If you have good communication and co-operation with each other it will be obvious to other people, your fellow citizens, and will be reflected in the trust from your community to you as a dog owner. After all, nobodies an island, we live mostly in cities, towns or other neighborhoods with a lot of other people and we need to adapt to society. Society takes dog owners with open arms if we have our affairs in order – meaning a well behaved dog is a quality certification of you as a dog owner.
So why should you teach your dog obedience?
For me, obedience training is very important and it´s no less a safety issue. We can protect the safety of others if our dog can obey in different situations and we can protect our dog from getting harmed in the urban society. For example, traffic from cars and other vehicles is a concern for dog owners. Can your dog stop on the sidewalk and look to either side? Can he warn himself about the traffic or is he an energy bulb that overpowers everything, thus creating himself and others danger. Dogs also need to know and be able to interact with people of all ages, children as old people, mentally ill individuals and persons with disabilities. We need to teach them confidence and strengthen them mentally because the civic environment is extremely challenging and distracting. The ability to cope with stress and distractions is not something all dogs are naturally born with, it is a process they learn with us as puppies. We need to introduce in stages the different levels of traffic. With proper training and approach it is easy for any dog to get used to it.
Do as much together as possible
The first things we need to ask ourselves before we start obedience training a dog:
how do I want the dog to behave towards me, around me and the family?
how do I want my dog to respond to my requests?
how is it safest for me to travel with him in my daily environment?
what kind of dog owner do I want to be?
what kind of communication is normal between us?
and often it's good to think how do I not want to raise him? What have you seen from other dog & owners that you don't want to see in your dog or you as it´s owner?
This is your dog after all and hopefully you will spend the next 15 years with him, so it's good to think what do you want and how much time are you going to spend in training him. Set realistic expectations and requirements that suit you and your lifestyle. The expectations of other people and yours are not always the same so don't let others put pressure on you.
It is important that you spend time with the dog and that he is interested, willing and trusts you to work with you. It takes a long time to train a dog, dogs are individuals and what suits one is not suitable for everyone else. There is usually more than one way possible to reach the same goal, the most important in dog training is consistency. Choose a path or training method and stick to it. Don´t change your methods and try different approach every time, your dog will get confused.
The time you spend with your puppy should be fun, no matter what it is, whether it be obedience training, cuddles, relaxing or physical exercise. If you are well prepared and focused it´s going to be fun.
I often say to new dog owners and people I help train their dogs:
“You have to be the most fun person or animal in the mind of the dog and the most fun thing in the world should be being with you. So that you can achieve maximum results, whether in general obedience, search, recall or something else. If someone else is better at working with your dog or is considered more fun by him (like another dog in the park), then we have to improve it – we have to fix your relationship! For example, why should the dog want to come back to you and learn the recall if you are a cruel or unfair owner. You have to be not only fun but also fair.”
This is also common for people who own a family dog, one usually feels that the dog is more fond of the other person, follows him more and seems to prefer it´s companionship.
Spending time in each others company is very important
Training together is your quality time & the time for bonding
Obedience training is a great tool to use as quality time with your dog. With spending just a few minutes each day I can promise you that the owner is able to build more communication and build a stronger bond than they had before. These two individuals playing together learn to develop their expressive form. Such training makes the interaction with the dog in the future much more enjoyable: the dog is more relaxed, obedient and easier to steer him into complex tasks – no matter which family member is with him. A dog that gets quality time is a relaxed dog and a happier dog.
However, I would like to state before proceeding that anything can be overstated. By teaching dogs too much obedience and using outdated methods we can take from them a specific initiative that is necessary for them to finish e.g. special job training like becoming a search dog. Everyone needs to find a balance in their training. I also know that none of us want to live with a person or a dog for 10-15 years who neither speaks nor understands our language, communication is the key to successful living. That is why it is so important to meet halfway and create a communication pattern that suits both species.
Do you understand now what I mean by saying that obedience training is behavioral training, I don´t want people to get stuck in phrases. Some old school dog trainers still talk about obedience training but their meaning of the phrase has changed - don´t hang someone for using a phrase you don´t like - check out his methods and not his use of language. As we shape the behavior of our dog by rewarding him we are building a relationship, a long term relationship. Thus it is so important that we spend time & enjoy working with our dogs everyday, through life!
Balanced dog is a happy dog