Dog Obedience Classes – Is Your Dog Ready?
No matter what stage of life your dog is in, dog obedience classes will help your pooch socialize, integrate with your family, and learn skills. Those skills will help him follow your directions which can also be vital to his safety. Here are some things to know about dog training, so you can answer for yourself whether your dog is ready to take them.
Dog Obedience Classes
Dog training courses are generally tailored for puppies and adult dogs. When they are puppies, the classes focus on things like housebreaking, socialization, and behaviors such as not jumping on visitors. They also teach common commands, such as coming when called, sitting, and staying. There may also be some training for walking properly on a leash. These classes are geared toward teaching the dog owners how to train their dogs since the bulk of the work will be done at home. For older dogs, the work is based on reinforcing those simple commands and working on more advanced skills.
Benefits
For starters, your dog will be better behaved in the home after taking dog obedience classes. This will make life less stressful for you the entire family. The earlier you start dog training, the better chance you have of preventing bad habits that you may not be able to stop. These include annoying barking, chewing on things they shouldn’t, and jumping on visitors. Perhaps one of the most important is coming when they are called. Following this one properly could potentially save them from injury or even death.
Does It Work
Yes, dog training works, however, there are some factors that play into how effective it will be. Some dog breeds take to training much better than others, for instance. That doesn’t mean you can’t train them, it just means it will take more work and patience. One of the main factors is how much effort the dog owner puts into it. Dog obedience classes are just as much about training the owner, so the owner must do the work at home to reinforce the lessons. You must be patient, consistent, and the entire household has to take part. If everyone is not on the same page, then you will not get the results you want.
Can I Train My Dog Myself?
In this age of information, there are countless places where you can get information on dog training. There are books, websites, and video tutorials that can give you seemingly all the information you need. This may be necessary for you, especially if your personal circumstances make it difficult to attend classes. However, every dog is different, and there is rarely a one-size-fits-all solution. Taking classes will allow you to ask questions and work with the trainer on solutions that work with your specific dog.
Is My Dog Too Old?
The fact is, you absolutely can teach an old dog new tricks. It may take more work and patience to change bad habits that have had years to take hold, but it can be done. Just make sure that you don’t set your expectations as high as you might for a pup. Also, check with your vet to discuss what your dog can and can’t handle.
As you can see, the answer is most likely ‘yes” to the question in the title. Dog obedience classes are for just about every dog if you know what to expect from them. If you are in the San Antonio area, contact Lara’s Canine Solutions to help with your dog training needs.