Develop a Plan for Dog Training

Taking the time to develop a plan for dog training is very important because this gives you an opportunity to identify the specific goals both you and your dog will need to achieve.

Good training is essential to ensure a happy dog, and of course happy owners. When a dog is well trained he can play a proper and meaningful part in the household, providing enjoyment and companionship.

On the other hand, an untrained dog is a constant concern. If a dog behaves badly, this can result in stress for all concerned and ultimately spoil the experience of owning and caring for a pet. At the very worst, an untrained dog can be a danger, running wild and causing accidents.

Luckily, most dogs actually enjoy being trained and thrive when they know that they are pleasing their owners. When a dog is well trained, he knows the rules and will happily follow them. This is essential when planning to introduce a new dog or puppy into your home and helps to integrate the pet into the family.

Drawing up a training plan is extremely helpful, but make sure your initial goals are simple. A young dog in particular, although eager to learn, will find too diverse a training plan confusing, making it difficult for him to understand what you want from him. A well thought out plan ensures that the most important aspects of training are clearly identified.

Once you've set your goals, it's extremely important that the entire household gets involved in order to provide consistent, positive reinforcement to your pet. For instance, if one priority is to ensure that your dog does not jump on the furniture, everyone in the family must respect the rule and make the dog get down whenever he attempts to climb on forbidden territory. Mixed messages will scuttle your dog's training from the start.

To ensure household cooperation, it's a good idea to get everyone involved in drawing up the training plan. This means that everyone can have input, and they should all be comfortable with the resulting training goals.

Some owners prefer to get outside help when training a new family pet. Professional dog trainers typically work according to a training plan devised to cover the basic requirements a dog needs to learn in order to fit in with his family. However, it is important to share your personal requirements with any trainer you may hire so he/she can work with you to devise a customized plan that will fit your needs.

For most people, the top three goals of any dog training plan will be important features such as house training, returning when called and sitting on command.

Ensuring a dog is house trained is probably the most essential feature of training for most people. A dog that is not house trained is a great problem and if this is not addressed early on, the issue can become out of control.

Most dog owners enjoy letting their dog off the leash and allowing him to run freely. Knowing that your dog will return when called is vitally important. If your dog will not return, he may get lost, run into roads and cause accidents. At the very least, it's frustrating running around the park trying to retrieve a dog that thinks the two of you are playing a game.

Teaching your dog to sit is an important requirement and should be a priority in any training plan. Once your dog understands and obeys this command, you can get his attention and have control over him any time you need it. This can be essential in situations where other people and dogs are around.

I addition to your three main training goals, you'll also want to identify other behaviors/manners you want to instill in your new pet.

These might include saying "NO" to:

• Climbing on the furniture
• Jumping on people
• Begging for food
• Barking at strangers
• Biting and/or chewing

Keeping the following tips in mind will help you develop a dog training plan that everyone can live with.

• Involve your entire household to ensure consistency.
• Limit your initial training plan to a few key priorities.
• Post the basic plan where everyone can see it, perhaps on your refrigerator or note board. This way everyone will have a reminder to keep them on track for success.

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