The learning curve is an extremely important aspect of any education… human or canine! Just as children need to develop good study habits for maximum achievement in school, the same holds true for dogs. Your dog must learn the difference between “No” and “Good Dog”, as well as how to pay attention in the first place.
This can be accomplished by working on some basic obedience commands. Heel (walk at my side), sit, down, stay, and come are the foundations of learning which will build good study habits for all other desirable behaviors.
Because beginner’s obedience training is done on-leash, you’ll be able to get your dog to notice you and learn to pay attention! With consistency and lots of praise, your dog can quickly learn the difference between the right thing to do (“Good Dog”) and the wrong thing (“No”). With enough dog training practice, your pet will eventually respond to these phrases even when off-leash in real life situations.
While some people realize the benefits of their dog knowing the obedience commands, many other pet owners will declare “But I don’t care about the commands… I just want my dog to stop stealing socks!” Keep in mind that the commands are the groundwork for all other behaviors. Your dog will much more likely respond to your declaration of “No, drop it!” if he truly understands what “no” means in the first place.
If you have a puppy, working on the basic obedience commands will make a big difference in addressing many other issues including house training and play biting. With older dogs, you may find that your dog is smarter than you thought… and has been pulling the wool over your eyes so he can get away with stuff! (Click on the highlighted words for additional articles on those topics.)
Give it a try and you’ll soon find that “1/2 hour a day, keeps mischief away!”
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