by Lyn Dee

Created on: September 01, 2009

There are two important things you need to know before you begin training your dog.

The first thing is that a well-trained dog is a happy dog. A puppy that is allowed to do whatever he wants, whenever he wants, may seem cute and amuse you with his antics, but an untrained adult dog is a very different animal. He will soon become a nuisance, and even a danger, not only to all the humans in its life but also to other animals and himself.

Training a dog to come when it is called, to walk at your side on a leash, and to sit while waiting to cross a road is not a cruel restriction of your pet's freedom. It could save his life.

The second thing to understand is that basic obedience training simply involves using a dog's natural instincts to help him adapt to what can be a very unnatural environment.

Dogs are pack animals. They instinctively want to please the leader of their pack but will also try to dominate any other pack members who seem to be weaker than them. If you want a happy, confident, well-behaved dog you must establish your position of leader as soon as a puppy joins your pack - even if you are the only other member!

You can achieve this quite easily by being firm, kind and consistent.

Decide what the rules of the pack are going to be and don't let the puppy change them. For example, do you want him to come to you when you call him? Then make sure that's exactly what he does. Don't call him once or twice and then give up if he decides he'd rather wander off somewhere else.

Most dogs want to please their owners and enjoy getting lots of positive attention from them. Short but regular training sessions are enjoyable for the dog and his owner and help them to understand each other. Teach him the rules by showing him how pleased you are when he does what you want. Praise and reward always work better that punishment. If you need to show disapproval please don't resort to shouting or smacking. These can confuse him and even make him afraid of you. A stern no, and refusing to play with him for a while, will be easier for him to understand.

Although it's easy to teach a dog basic obedience on your own, it can also be useful and fun to join a dog-training class if there is one in your area. It will teach your dog to socialise with his own kind, and give you the chance to compare notes with other dog owners and get help with any problems you may have encountered.

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