Training is an absolutely essential component of being a great dog owner. Dogs are wonderful, loyal companions who are incredibly smart, and applying positive, professional training techniques can have many positive benefits for both the owner and the dog. Training builds confidence, improves day-to-day life, stimulates your dog’s mind, strengthens your bond, and much more!
While bringing your dog to obedience training as a young puppy is the best time to begin, you can start your professional training journey at any point in your dog’s life! It’s never too late to enjoy the wonderful results of training. Read on to discover more about why dog training is so important, and learn about its many benefits for both you and your pup.
Training Helps Your Dog to be More Sociable & Less Stressed
Without proper training, your dog likely won’t reach his or her full potential when it comes to behavior, life knowledge, and social literacy. Well-trained dogs will integrate much more effectively with humans and other animals and are able to live in a more peaceful and relaxed state in our busy world.
Whether your dog has an anxious or shy temperament, it will absolutely benefit from professional training. Shy dogs will become increasingly comfortable with social situations through training, and anxious dogs will feel increasingly secure in social settings as they learn how to react appropriately. As your dog learns to behave correctly in social situations, each interaction will become more comfortable for every party involved.
You may think that today’s domestic dogs have easy lives compared to how they would live in the wild. But living in a human household and exploring this busy, urban world puts pressure on your dog that they need to learn to react appropriately! With proper training, you’ll be able to grab your cute dog lover accessories and hit the sidewalk with confidence every day.
Enjoy a Smoother Experience When Boarding Your Dog or Spending Time Apart
While no one wants to leave their dog alone, it’s an inevitable part of being a dog owner. Whether you have to leave your pup at home during your workday or board them when you have to leave town, leaving them alone can be one of the most difficult parts of being a dog parent. When the time comes, you can make the process much smoother and less stressful through professional training.
When you leave your dog home alone, you need to be able to trust that it’ll behave properly. Without training, your dog may bark or howl for long periods of time or turn to destructive behaviors like chewing or scratching. These behaviors stem from stress and fear, and professional obedience training can help your dog to feel calm and relaxed when you head out the door! When you train your dog from an early age, it reinforces positive behavior and can help reduce separation anxiety.
Professional Training is Great For Your Dog’s Own Safety
We love our dogs as members of our family, and professional training is one of the most effective ways to keep them safe from harm. Training provides humans and dogs with a common language for communication — without it, it can be very challenging for our dogs to understand what we are asking of them! Through solid voice commands and obedience training, your dog will be able to enjoy off-leash time safely. A dog that bolts or does not come to you when called is much more likely to face dangers like getting lost, wandering into the path of cars, or engaging with an aggressive animal. For extra outdoor safety, many owners also opt for outdoor dog fencing!
Unfortunately, the world is full of hazards that dogs might not necessarily understand. A well-trained dog is safe from the majority of danger, as they can be directed to avoid it! With socialization training, your dog will learn to safely socialize with other people and animals and respond to other stimuli in a way that protects their safety.
Training Can Make You & Your Pup’s Everyday Life More Fun
While training can absolutely be fun and enjoyable for you as a dog owner, the positive effects on your dog’s life are equally as amazing. As your dog becomes more comfortable and confident through professional training, its ability to enjoy its day-to-day experiences will also improve! From enjoying social interaction at the dog park to sleeping better at the end of the day, training has incredible everyday effects on you and your pup.
With proper training, your daily walk will become much more enjoyable for both you and your dog. By training and socializing your dog to interact safely and effectively with other dogs, humans, cars, and more, the days of hectic walks will be behind you! Plus, training is one of the best ways to ensure that your dog is getting enough mental stimulation. Mental stimulation enriches our dogs’ lives by giving them something meaningful to do, keeping boredom at bay, and decreasing the likelihood of behavioral issues that stem from boredom and excess energy. When your dog is getting enough mental stimulation from training, it’ll behave much more calmly, helping both of you to relax at the end of the day.
Positive Training Strengthens Your Bond
Signing up your dog for professional training and committing yourself to be present and engaged throughout the training journey is a surefire way to strengthen your emotional bond with your pup! Professional training sessions almost always involve you working one-on-one with your dog as directed by the trainer — plus, you’ll most likely have some “homework” to practice with your pup at home after training classes. During these experiences, your fundamental connection with your pup will be strengthened through spending time together and learning to communicate better with one another. With training, your dog will learn to trust your judgment, and mutual respect will develop as you also gain an understanding of your dog’s capabilities!
The positive reinforcement training style is the best way to train your dog and strengthen your bond. While other training styles do exist, they may utilize punishment and have the potential to harm your bond, worsen existing behaviors, or even lead to aggression. When you begin your professional dog training journey, be sure to select a trainer who utilizes the positive reinforcement training style! For more info, check out the American Kennel Club’s article on how to choose a dog trainer.
Experience the Many Rewards of Professionally Training Your Pup
Our dogs should provide us with joy, loyal companionship, and love on a day-to-day basis. But when a dog is struggling to be obedient or is exhibiting behavioral issues, your dog’s behavior can become a constant source of stress for both you and your pup. Professionally training your dog does require some commitment, time, and money, but its results and many benefits are truly incredible and can change both of your lives for the best. With a well-trained dog, you can safely enjoy endless fun adventures together for years to come.
Our dogs are always learning, and it’s never too late to start training. We wish you and your pup the best on your professional training journey!
Thank you so much for writting this article! Your honest and realistic advice really helps me put things in perspective 🙂