Without a solid base relationship with your dog, they may act out in many unwanted ways and gain personalities that can affect your everyday life. Training your dogs can lead to a great relationship built on trust, obedience and love. Training your dog should go beyond the simple sit, down and shake for a happier and healthier dog and family.
What underlying benefits does training my dog have?
When thinking about what benefits training your dog has for them, an article, Beyond the Basics: How Advanced Training Commands Benefit Dogs and Owners By OLK-9 stated, “The spectrum of skills can also improve a dog’s mental and physical fitness, enriching their daily life.” The ‘spectrum of skills’ they talk about can range from house-training, whether that be crate training or to wait before eating, to sports like agility and dock diving. Many dogs, such as labs, being a common one, suffer from obesity. Many dog owners don’t realize not training or exercising your dog can lead them to become overweight and face many health problems later in life. When you train and exercise your dog, they not only become happier but you can too. From the OLK-9 article, they have mentioned that, “Dogs learn to trust and listen, while owners learn more about their pets’ needs. This understanding builds a lifelong partnership. The benefits go beyond obedience; they create a shared language.” That shared language they talk about is you becoming an advocate for your furry friend. Advocating for them could be something like saying ‘no’ to a child wanting to pet them in public, or saying ‘not friendly’ when another dog and owner approach you on a sidewalk. Your dog will look to you for help, they will rely on you to do what is best for them, instead of acting out in times of stress. Following that point, it not only benefits their physical health but also mental health. Dogs too can suffer from depression, anxiety and other mental illnesses. These illnesses can sprout from too much stimulation, whether that be too many people walking past your house or going to a dog park with too many dogs. When you train your dog they will become happier with life, less stressed out and easier to live with.
Physical and Mental benefits to you with your dog
The point of training is beyond just the physical and mental health of your dog. It can affect your physical and mental health too. As Serena Menge, a dog trainer of 4 years has said “It’s fun and something to do, not in front of a screen. “ Consequently, everyone spends a lot of their day in front of a screen, regardless of what job you have, it could be your phone, a computer or even just your T.V. As you begin training your dog, you may realize how life becomes less stressful because you stimulate your brain by training your dog but also learning more about how your dog learns. Training allows you to trust your dog and get your dog to trust you.
How do you begin training your dog?
When you begin to train your dog, you may become frustrated with them because they just ‘won’t get it’. Sometimes, if not most times, that isn’t the case. Frank, the author of the article, Why is it Important to Train a Dog?, stated “Education in children goes beyond learning their ABCs. It involves learning to concentrate, settle down in one place, listen and focus, mix politely with adults, explore new subjects, follow instructions, and follow behavioural guidelines. Training your dog is no different”. When you’re teaching your dog a new command, like sit, stay or something basic, they aren’t going to understand. You have to begin with lots of treats, excitement and without the word at first. Dogs learn almost identically as children learn in school. Your dog needs time and repetition to complete the trick or command, to lock it in their brain. Without repetition, your dog can forget your command making it harder for them to learn again. There are many ways to begin training your dogs, one can be house training. House training includes kennel/crate time whether that’s when you leave the house, go to bed or even when you have certain guests over. The need to learn that their kennel is a safe place for them to feel comfortable and not punished. Another one is going potty outside, or on a pee pad. This could be taking them outside every hour saying “go potty” or your command of choice and once they relieve themselves, reward them with positivity or treats. When they go to the bathroom somewhere you don’t want, like in the kitchen, give them negative reinforcement, like the word ‘wrong’, and take them outside so you can clean up their mess. Another type of training could be tricks, this includes, rollover,shake, play dead and many others. These take a long and repetitive training. Dogs will not get these tricks right away. As long as you stay positive and calm with your dog, the tricks will be easier for your dog to get and retain.
How would it benefit me?
When you have a trained dog, it benefits you in many ways. One example is a less stressful life. This could mean you can leave your dog at home for a couple hours without the worry of coming home to your garbage in the living room, torn apart shoes or even destroyed furniture. Another example is having control over stimulating situations. These situations could be encounters with rambunctious children, strange food-like substances on walks or even an encounter with a harmful person. When you have control over your dog, you can advocate for them and know what they can do in situations like these. When you know what your dog is capable of, or what they do not like, you can take them, safely, out of a situation that can negatively affect them. When you train your dog, you build a shared language of trust and communication to help you both understand, protect and learn each other’s ways of life. When you have a trained dog, they become happier and healthier, leading to a happier and healthier owner. Physically or mentally.
Training might seem hard or troublesome but it can and will be fun and rewarding. Have fun and get excited while training your best friend. Good luck, stay positive and enjoy a new, happy, loving and trustworthy friendship.
