To Train or Not to Train - That is the Question
The Life of an Untrained Pooch
The untrained dog has few privileges and very little freedom. When guests come to visit, he’s isolated in a separate room because he’s too unruly. When the family sits down to eat, he’s isolated in an alternate room, put outside or crated because he begs relentlessly while you are trying to eat. He’s never allowed off his leash because he runs away and stay on the run for hours at a time. Nobody wants to take him for a walk because he pulls, and never gets to go on family outings because he’s a physical and emotional drain.
A sad existence for all concerned. But it doesn’t have to be that way!
The Life of a Well-Trained Pooch
A well-trained dog is a joy to have around. He is welcome almost anywhere because he behaves around people and other dogs. He knows how to stay, and he comes when called. He’s a pleasure to take for a walk because he doesn’t pull and can be let loose for a tromp through the park. He can be taken on trips and family outings. He’s a member of the family in every sense of the word.
The most important benefit of training your dog is safety: your safety, the safety of others, and his own safety. A dog that listens and does what he’s told rarely gets into trouble. Instead of being a slave to a leash or even worse a crate, a trained dog is given a lot of elbow room — he can be trusted to stay when told, not to jump on people, to come when called, and not to chase a neighborhood cat across a busy street.
How does a Well-Trained Pooch Behave?
Sits when you tell him to sit
Goes somewhere to chill out when you tell him to
Lies down when you tell him to lie down
Stays when you tell him to stay
Comes when you call
Walks on a loose leash
The Sit, Down & Stay Commands are the building blocks for a well-trained Dog. If your pooch learns nothing else, you can still cohabitate nicely.
Dogs are social animals, and one of the cruelest forms of punishment is to deprive them of the opportunity to interact with family members on a regular basis. Isolating a dog from contact with humans is inhumane. Spending quality time with your dog by taking the time and energy to train him will make him the beloved family member he deserves to be.