When Does Your Dog Need Obedience Training?
If you own or intend to own a dog, there are certain things you need to know, especially when it comes to training and obedience. While a dog might look well-behaved, this kind of behavior doesn’t happen innately. Most of it comes from the owner’s sustained efforts to groom and train the dog over time.
With healthy development, most ten-week-old puppies can sleep through the night. However, they may still struggle with potty training, among other important competencies that don’t come naturally to your puppy. You may be able to train an intelligent puppy at home, but there are important “red flags” to look out for that mean your dog could benefit from professional dog obedience training. The following are some behaviors that should cause alarm and prompt you to call a dog trainer right away.
Your Dog Barks All the Time
Few things are as uncomfortable as walking in public with a barking dog. Not only does this make your peaceful walk more frustrating, but it also can scare and annoy neighbors and passersby. Training your dog to stop barking is vital if you want peace and quiet and a well-behaved dog.
If your puppy barks at people, cars, and other dogs, you should consult a dog obedience trainer immediately. Even though these traits may seem natural coming from a dog, excessive and inopportune barking are sometimes symptoms of underlying issues, like fear and anxiety. As such, it is always advisable to seek help from a dog obedience trainer before the problem escalates.
Your Dog Is Overly Aggressive
There are certain aggressive tendencies that dog owners often ignore as harmless or even playful, but sometimes they aren’t quite so safe. Not even food aggression should be considered acceptable. While many people think that it’s natural for their dog to display territorial tendencies over food, this is a large indicator of underlying behavioral problems. If your dog displays unnecessary aggression towards people and/or other animals, dog obedience training is vital.
Dog training will help your pet feel calm around strangers without engaging in territorial behavior. With proper training, they will soon become appropriate to people in and around your home and even a delight to be around
Your Dog Chases Its Tail
This may come as a bit of a surprise, but this cute habit is an indication that your pet is under-stimulated. Through dog obedience training, your pet can develop enough internal resources to project that energy elsewhere. Professional dog trainers can also help identify possible other related behaviors and issues which may be unnoticeable to you.
Your Dog Ignores You
If you find that you must call your dog repeatedly while it appears indifferent to you, then it needs to be trained in dog obedience. A well-trained dog should respond to your first call. This level of compliance is critical to your dog’s safety and that of others. Even when there is no danger, it is frustrating to keep calling your dog without a response. The proper training will ensure your dog will come to your call without hesitation.
Your Dog Jumps on People
Not all people appreciate being jumped on by pets, and even those who love it are not always in the mood or dressed for it. Even though jumping is often a sign of excitement and not aggression, this behavior still needs to be nipped in the bud before your dog grows older (and gets bigger). While a puppy jumping can be adorable, a large breed might cause serious damage. Luckily, dog obedience training can help your dog learn the proper social etiquette when greeting guests.
There are some behavioral issues that you likely cannot handle on your own. Luckily, you can learn how to correct and handle such behaviors by attending professional dog training classes. If you are in Phoenix, you can rely on Rob’s Dogs for the best dog training classes Phoenix has to offer.
Dogs are social animals that look up to humans for guidance and behavior expectations. As the owner, you have a role to play in determining how your dog behaves. Training your dog is the only way you can instill wanted behavior in your pet and ensure that your relationship is not compromised by bad behavior.
Some dog behaviors are annoying: begging for food, urinating on the carpet, and sitting on the furniture. While they may be bothersome and justify dog training, they do not necessarily pose a danger to the dog or to the owner.
Dog obedience training can be conducted in a group setting or one-on-one. Group classes usually include one trainer for up to ten dogs, including your dog. Private dog obedience training classes, on the other hand, are conducted with just one dog.
Like people, every dog has a unique personality. What that also means is that they likely also have a unique set of hang-ups. Just because dog personalities are unique does not mean that their behaviors cannot be corrected.