When you get yourself a dog, you will most likely have to make some lifestyle changes to properly care for your new pet. While for some, this may prove to be a breeze, others find it quite challenging to care for a dog, particularly if their furry friend displays untoward behaviors. This article sheds light on whether you should train your dog or better enroll him in obedience school instead.
Why You Should Train Your Dog
There are several reasons why you should train your dog. Apart from being able to teach your dog proper manners, dog training also helps you develop a better relationship with your furry friend. The proper training will also help your dog protect himself from potential danger later on. It can also help prevent your dog from biting and most importantly, it can also help you protect your home.
However, there are instances wherein simply training your dog with the basic commands such as sit, come, and down prove to be insufficient in curbing the untoward behaviors of your dog. This is where enrolling your dog in obedience school may already become a necessity. When your dog displays certain behaviors such as those listed below, then perhaps it is best to consider enrolling him in an obedience school.
Untoward Dog Behaviors
- Snarling or growling when you get too close to their possessions
One of the primary behaviors that warrant your dog being enrolled in an obedience school is when they snarl or growl excessively when you get too close to their belongings. This behavior is regarded as resource guarding. More often than not, this occurs when your furry friend believes that he is protecting something very valuable such as his food or his toy. This behavior may escalate when you unknowingly teach your dog that he can get something he wants by showing his teeth. Fortunately, trainers in a dog obedience school may be able to correct this behavior.
Another behavior that warrants your dog is enrolled in an obedience school is when he barks a lot. Excessive barking can be caused by various factors, which is why to help address this behavior, you need to be able to pinpoint the root cause. However, this can prove to be quite challenging. Luckily, enrolling your dog in an obedience school will be able to help you resolve this matter because the trainer will be able to offer specific solutions that will work for the particular situation of your dog.
Poor leash manners that often occur when you are walking your dog can also be corrected in an obedience school. In this way, walking your dog will already be a pleasant experience as you won’t have to be plagued by pulling or chasing him, or even getting tangled in your dog’s leash. Keep in mind that while you may deem that poor leash manners are a minor issue, if not addressed promptly, it can lead to several dangerous instances such as being injured when walking your dog due to falling when you are pulling him so hard.
There can be nothing more frustrating than going home and finding that your dog has chewed various things all over your home. Apart from the damage in your home, this can also prove to be dangerous to your dog as he may ingest things that may block his airway or those that may hurt his digestive system. When you enroll your dog in an obedience school, there is a great chance for this behavior to be corrected because the root cause of the problem is identified.
Finally, when your furry friend is mean to other dogs, then you may want to consider enrolling him in an obedience school as well. In this case, if your dog has a traumatic background preventing them from being able to be comfortable with other animals, a trainer will be able to help them adjust and learn tricks on how they will be able to calm themselves.
The decision of whether you should train your dog or enroll him in an obedience school depends on your situation. For some, simply training their dog will prove to be sufficient in curbing untoward behavior as their furry friend follows effortlessly. However, for others, enrolling their pet in an obedience school may prove to be necessary. Rest assured that whichever way you decide to push through, for sure you are making your decision based on what will be the best for your dog.
