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Watching Crufts or other dog shows, gives you an idea of how well and to what level dogs can be trained.  This level of obedience though is difficult to achieve and takes a great deal of dedication from both the dog trainer and the dog themselves.  Dog training though is essential and in this post, we discuss the following:

• What are the benefits of training your dog?
• When to start dog training
• Obedience classes or train yourself
• Which dogs are easier / harder to train
• Simple dog training commands
• Advanced dog training commands

What are the benefits of training your dog?

Paws Training and Behaviour Modification, list these five benefits:

1. Dog training can save your dog’s life
2. You get to take your dog to more places
3. You will develop a stronger bond with your dog
4. Training allows you to understand your dog
5. Both of you will live happy lives.

When to start training your Dog

The saying, you can’t teach an old dog new tricks sums it up!  Of course, it is never too late to begin training a dog.  And you may have no choice other than to begin when a dog is several years old.  For example, if you get an adult dog from a rescue centre they may never have been trained before.  However, if you begin early, success with training will likely come quicker because simply, your puppy will not have had the time or gained the experience to develop any bad habits.

Obedience classes or train yourself?

You will likely find there are a variety of dog obedience classes running near where you live.  For example, the Dublin Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (DSCPA) lists a number of dog training courses in the Dublin area.

Whether you decide to avail of one of these, or train your dog yourself will likely depend on a number of factors.  For example:

1. Do have the time to train your dog yourself?
2. Do you have necessary skills to train your dog yourself?
3. Is your dog receptive to you own training efforts?
4. Can you afford to take you dog to obedience classes?

Of course, you can do both – that is take your dog to obedience classes, then practice what you have learnt outside of training classes.  The more time and effort you put into training the better the results will be.

How to teach your dog commands

Dogtime.com  provide a list of guidelines to help with training.  They suggest:

1. Be consistent in your commands
2. Start with simple commands gradually making them more complex
3. Don’t repeat the command
4. Use food treats as rewards for completing a command although use them sparingly and over time phase them out
5. Keep training short and sweet
6. Mix up the people and places associated with your training
7. Be patient and don’t lose your cool
8. Keep practising and remember practise makes perfect!

Simple dog training commands

As with all sorts of training it is best to start with the basics. So for your dog, these would be:

1. Sit
2. Stay
3. Come
4. Down
5. Walk

If you can get your dog responding to these commands, you can have increasing confidence that your dog will be able to cope with a range of external environmental factors.  Also, you will then be able to move onto more advance training commands.

Advance dog training commands

1. Make your dog bark
2. Make your dog be quiet
3. Use hand signals only
4. Teach your dog to not to pick something up from the floor
5. Teach your dog to ask for permission
6. Search for items by sent
7. Distance control

Summary

A well-trained dog is a happier dog and you will be a happier dog owner.  Although it requires time and effort the rewards of dog training will benefit you both.  The confidence in your pet will grow as will your bond, further solidifying your dog as a man’s (or woman’s) best friend.

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