The reality is, unlesss you have a real knack for animal behavior and leash handling, most dog owners will need the help of a professional dog trainer in order for them to make fantastic household pets. When the doorbell rings, most dogs will bark. Other dogs will pull hard on leash to visit the neighbor or practice doggy parkour in order to harass the household cat. While barking, jumping, digging, pulling on leash, and chasing prey items are normal canine behaviors, it can be really helpful to get a professional dog trainer on your team to help you figure out how to best live with your dog and avoid problematic behaviors from occuring.
Dog trainers can be extremely beneficial for dogs of all ages who may have a variety of problems, such as fear, aggression, and difficulties learning advanced (or even simple) obedience commands. If you want your dog to join you on off leash adventures, it is critical they are reliably trained under heavy distraction. Dog friendly patios can be a blast… unless your dog spends the entire time barking and trying to visit other patrons. Hiring a dog trainer doesn’t make an owner a failure, nor is it a sign that there is something wrong with the dog. Hiring a dog trainer should be a proactive move made to help better your relationship with your dog.
Finding the pet expert who is best for you is the first step in strengthening the link between owner and dog. Check out this guide on how to get in touch with the best dog trainer for you and your dog.
Dog training can begin at any age. Beginning with a trainer as soon as a new puppy comes home can start them off right; it’s a lot of work raising a puppy, and there is a lot of conflicting information out there! Hiring a puppy trainer can help you learn how to properly socialize your new friend, create an appropriate potty training schedule, and help you deal with pesky, but normal, puppy behaviors such as jumping, biting, and barking in the crate.
Get the tools you need to practice at home. Consider the tools you’ll need to reinforce excellent behavior at home after consulting with a trainer. Learning simple training skills like “sit,” “down,” and “leave it” can be done at home with minimal effort, with just a leash and some yummy dog training treats. You should have a short leash as well as a long leash for practicing coming when called out and about, and a properly fitted collar that won’t slip over your dogs head. A dog kennel helps puppies learn to respect other people’s property and facilitates housebreaking. We love Ruffland Kennels and KBC Kennels for solid crates that will last you years.
While working with a trainer, you can get into the habit of incorporating training exercises into your daily routine with your dog or puppy. Each walk should be spent reinforcing excellent leash manners, rather than teaching your dog to drag you around the park. You can practice leave it during dinner, and work on your bed stay at night while watching TV (while also paying attention to your pup, of course). Every time you let your dog outside to go to the bathroom is a time to practice “wait at the door”. Being consistent and keeping your dogs brain active goes a long way in future good behavior!
In the end, hiring a reputable dog training professional and devoting time to training will help your dog succeed and open up your world to more adventures together. We would love to discuss training options with you if you are local to Ohio or Denver. Our dog trainers specialize in Boarding and Training programs for dogs and puppies.
