My Ideal Dog

The reasons for training large, powerful dogs are obvious and abundant.  You need to be able to control them and they’re often much stronger than you.  They can very easily outrun you and it’s very possible they could hurt another person, whether intentionally or inadvertently.  Even just walking a bigger dog on a leash can be next to impossible if the dog hasn’t received some basic obedience training.

Small dogs, on the other hand, are not strong or threatening.  All you have to do is pick them up – problem solved, right?  Wrong.  It’s very important for you and for your small dog that you take it through at least some basic obedience training.  The health of your dog and your relationship with them will be greatly improved with just a small investment in obedience training.

Aggression

Aggression in small dogs is very common.  Many small dog owners don’t see this as a problem because they figure their dog is too small to hurt anyone.  This is both an errant assumption to make and an insufficient reason not to address your dog’s aggressive behavior.  Aggression is just as much a problem in small dogs as it is in larger dogs.

Small dogs are very likely to become aggressive precisely because they never receive the obedience training that larger dogs get.  People tend to think that everything they do is cute and so inappropriate behavior is rewarded.  Also, the easiest way to control a small dog is simply to pick them up.  This gives them the attention they want and reinforces the inappropriate behavior as well.

Being the Alpha

All of these dynamics make the small dog think it is in control – it is the dominant one in the owner-dog relationship.  If you don’t assert your dominance effectively and consistently, your dog will forever be fighting you for the top spot in the pack.  This is not going to get your dog to behave well and it’s not healthy for the dog either.

The benefits of obedience training are not limited to the specific commands you teach your dog.  By taking your dog through an obedience training regimen, you’re establishing your authority and opening a clear line of communication with your dog.  Having this type of relationship with your dog is just as important no matter what size your dog is.

Safety

Having an established way of communicating with your dog is definitely important for the health of your relationship with your dog, but it’s also vital to ensuring his safety as well.  When your dog listens to you and respects your authority, you can protect it from a variety of dangerous situations.  If you don’t have the tools to command your dog’s attention and respect, you won’t be able to keep him safe nearly as effectively.

If you own a small dog, you no doubt want the best for it.  In order to make sure you’re giving your dog the best care possible, it is terribly important that you take it through some basic obedience training.  This really takes very little effort and the benefits are numerous.  You may very well be shocked at how much some simple training can improve your relationship with your dog.

For quite a few reasons, putting your dog through obedience training is the best thing you can do for them.  It’s a relatively simple process, especially when your dog is young, but a lot of people just don’t take the time or see the point.  You can take your dog to an obedience training class or train them on your own.  Either way, it’s a tremendously useful tool in minimizing bad behaviors early in their life.

Setting Boundaries

Establishing appropriate boundaries and making sure your dog recognizes them is extremely important.  It will make your relationship with your dog much stronger, and it will set your dog at ease as well.  When your dog knows its place in the world and what is expected of it, it will not feel the need to take responsibility for everything.

Dogs feel stress too and a dog that doesn’t have boundaries will be confused about what it is supposed to do and when it is supposed to do it.  This can lead to erratic behavior and a high-strung temperament.  It can also lead to a constant struggle for dominance between you and your dog.  With appropriate boundaries in place, however, your dog will be able to relax because it understands its place.  It will know that you are in charge and that you will protect it.

Putting Your Dog to Work

Dogs also want to have a job to do.  Obedience training is a way of putting your dog to work by giving it commands to follow and actions to perform.  A misbehaving dog is often just a dog that’s bored and doesn’t know what is expected of it.  By giving you dog a job to do, you give it purpose and a context to work within.  This is exactly the type of situation in which most dogs thrive.

Socialization

When you have confidence in your dog and your dog has confidence in you, you can spend a lot more time together.  If your dog knows how to behave in a variety of situations and will listen to you unconditionally, it can be a lot more involved in your life.  When you know your dog will listen to you no matter the circumstances or distractions, it will be much safer and easier to take them with you on a regular basis.

It will also be a lot safer for your dog when they are trained thoroughly to respond to you.  You will be able to steer them clear of the potential dangers of cars, other animals, and people.  This can provide you with great piece of mind too.  Developing a clear line of communication with your dog is the most important thing you can do to make sure you’ll have a long and positive relationship.

Little Time, Great Rewards

Training your dog right does take some effort.  But the results are well worth it.  You don’t have to commit to huge blocks of time to do it either.  You just have to set aside a small amount of time on a regular basis.  Consistency and a little bit of effort is all it will take to train your dog right.

House training your new puppy can easily turn into a challenging process for you both.  It doesn’t have to be that way though.  There are a ton of methods for potty training a puppy.  They are not all created equal, but several of them have been proven very effective.  No matter what method you decide to use, however, it is important to keep a few things in mind as you begin the process.  These tips will benefit you in the long run and set the stage for the creation of a long and happy relationship between you and your dog.

Realistic Expectations

You’ll only get frustrated quickly if you expect your puppy to be able to do things he just can’t do.  Puppies are capable of learning and they’ll catch on fast to what you’re trying to teach them if you go about it in the right way.  They’re still young animals though, and you can’t expect them to be perfect.  Accidents will happen and it’s good to be prepared for this so you don’t get too upset.

It’s also not a natural assumption your puppy’s going to make that there’s a special place to go to the bathroom.  Animals will just naturally go when they have to go.  You need to help your puppy understand that there are places they should relieve themselves and places that they shouldn’t.

You also need to understand that your puppy can’t physically hold it for very long.  The older the puppy gets, the longer they’ll be able to wait.  It’s not their fault and they’re not trying to disobey you – they just can’t wait.  Setting up a schedule and sticking to it is the best way to make sure that you won’t be asking your puppy to wait any longer than they’re physically capable.

Consistency

Potty training, just like any other kind of dog training is all about consistency.  If you’re consistent with your behavior and instructions when you’re potty training your puppy, the puppy will be able to catch on much faster.  If you don’t stick to a routine or don’t react to the puppy’s behavior (good or bad) in the same way every time, your puppy will only become confused.

If the puppy doesn’t understand what you expect, it will never be able to please you.  You have to be able to make it clear exactly what you want the puppy to do.  Maintaining consistency in the signals you’re giving to the puppy is the only way to do this.

Seize the Moment

If you want to have a well behaved dog that you can maintain a good relationship with, there’s no better time to start laying the groundwork for that relationship than right now.  Starting out on the right foot with your puppy will make all the difference in what kind of dog he grows up to be.  And that will have everything to do with you.  The earlier you start to instill the right kind of behaviors with positive reinforcement, the easier it will be for you to train your dog as he grows up.