Top 5 Reasons to Train Your Dog

Adopting a puppy or an adult dog is a long term commitment and it's our job to set them up for success when facing the world. We don't want to see any dog banished to the back yard or relinquished to the shelter because it hasn't been trained properly. Here is a run-down of just some of the advantages of training:

1. Strengthens your bond. The process of bonding with your dog begins as soon as you bring them home. This initial bond is a tentative one - you don't know each other yet. To strengthen this bond, you spend time together learning what makes each other tick. Training your dog is something you do together, as a team. And as do this, you build respect and trust, and the relationship you have deepens.
2. Communication will be come clearer. Training helps you develop a way to communicate with each other. It helps your dog understand and want to do what you would like them to do. It also helps you gain the skills to understand what your dog is saying to you.
3. Decreases and/or eliminates behavior issues. Jumping on visitors, barking, digging, potty training, chewing, and other behavior issues can all be dealt with by training. Training really does build better behavior and a trained dog can join in all the fun in anything your family does together. Starting training early also creates less work, in regards to behavior issues, for you in the long run ;).
4. Builds confidence in shy and fearful dogs. Basic training is a great way to build your dog's confidence. Teaching your dog a few simple behaviors such as sit, down, and stay can lay a strong foundation for your dog to look to you for direction when they are uncertain. It provides skills they know and gives them something they know they can successful at.
5. Fun for everyone and provides enrichment. Turning training sessions into games makes it more fun for everyone involved and keeps things lighthearted. When you laugh with your dog, you're going to have fun. The more fun you have, the more you will train, and the more you train, the better you both will be at it. Training should continue through the life of your dog. Just as you continue to learn, so should your dog to keep their mind active. Not only that, but a bored dog is more apt to get into trouble.

Every dog - and their families - benefit tremendously from dog training. And training can come in any number of ways depending on your situation and what resources are available to you. Through positive reinforcement, you can create mutual respect between you and your pet and teach them the tools they will need to be successful in any situation.

The joys and benefits of training are numerous and far outweigh the time spent doing it :). What were your main reasons for training your dog?