Dog Obedience Training

Obedience training has come a long way since I started Southland Dog training in 1986. Back the most people new that training their dog was at least somewhat important but their comitment was low. You see 25 years ago dogs were just that...dogs! If your dog did something wrong in the house like peeing and pooping your husband would give the I am tired of it speech and out the dog would go. That dog would undoubtably live the rest of its day's in the backyard doing nothing but barking a the neihbors. Man how things change. Today dogs are concidered a part of the family. I have clients that would just asoon give up their right arm than their dogs. Now days people in the U.S. spend billions of dollars every year on their pets. You see we as a society have changed. We look at our dogs as our friends and not just as dogs.

Everywhere you look someone has a dog. At the park or around the block, dogs are everwhere. So why is that a big deal? Because everytime you walk outside you can see dogs that don't behave. Maybe you have encountered one at the Vet's office or at the park. Maybe you met up with one while walking the neihborhood. You may not remember every dog you have encountered but I'll bet you remember the ones that caused you problems. The dog that jumped on you orran after you while walked or rode your bike. What about the dog that barked and growled at you? Was their a dog that tried to pick a fight with your dog? Worse yet maybe it was YOUR dog that was behaving this way!

This is why dog obedience training is so important. Having a dog that:

• Jumps
• lunges
• barks
• dog fights
• chases people

or displays any bad behaviors can open you to all forms of liability. Not to mention those behaviors make owning a dog less than fun. So what can really be done about a dog that behaves this way? Well there are few things that must be done in order for these situations to be resloved. First we need to realize that our dogs like our children are hard wired to know who is in charge. Thats right!

Your dog from the time you bring that cute little puppy to your house is trying to figure out who is boss. If you wait just a bit too long it can be too late. Here is just one example. You purchased a giant breed dog like a Great Dane. Your puppy is only two months

when you bring him home but seemingly overnight he doubles in size. By the time he just six months old he weigh more that 70lbs. Thats the size of some adult German Shepards. If your not properly teaching your do to be obedient from the very begining you will miss the boat.

I know, I know your going to tell me but Vince I have "mini" whatever breed. Why do I need obedience training for her. I don't care if she does tricks like sit and lay down. Your little dog can be just as much a problem as any large breed dog if it displays those same behaviors. As for the trick training inference, obedience training should never be thought of as trick training.

The reason allot of folks make this mistake is that over the last 20 years or so some trainers have really bought into the idea of using treats to teach obedience. Theirs just one problem that original idea of obedience training was to teach a dog to what his handler wanted even if he didn't want to. You see in the middle of the word obedience is another word "Die" in other words for your dog to obey you he has to "Die" to his self will. He has to stop doing what he wants to do and do what you tell him to.Thats the whole point. Its also why you don't see professional like police dog handlers or military working dog teams carying boxes of goodies. They need their dogs to behave when THEY tell not when their dogs feel like it.

Getting your dog to change can very easy or extremley difficult it just depends on the dog and the situation. Don't be put off by though. In the end the rewards for having a well trained dog are more than you might know. Being able to walk down the street or go the park are great for you as your dogs owner. Your dog gets the best rewards however. Being able to do more fun stuff. Have a better and more intesting and active life. To not be bored or shut away. And most of all to be able to love and be loved by people because everyone loves a well trained dog.

Canine Obedience Training in Tampa, Orlando, and Sarasota.