Obedience training?
Posted: January 12th, 2011 | Author: admin | Filed under: Common Questions | Tags: Obedience, Training | 26 Comments »Why do you train your dogs in obedience? I know that most people have their own reasons for doing it and I am interested in hearing some.
I have my own reason for doing it, of course, and I will share that with everyone later.
Serious answers please!
Great answers and great reasons everyone. My reason for training my dogs in OB is reliable off leash control.
That is my goal from the first day I put a collar and leash on a dog.
James U…you get it…someday you will go far in this dog game, congrats!!
I started after I bonded with my puppy, and started with puppy socialization classes. Why did I train ? well because all dogs are semi wild animals, there needs to be a pack order in the house. Bottom line.
Why we are currently in “puppy kindergarden” with our 5-month boxer pup:
1. For ourselves – to learn and develop ways to train our dog
2. To obtain the basic commands for our dog – both for her wellbeing and ours
3. To build the obedient foundation for our dog to teach her more tricks/manners later on.
4. Wife is planning on having her certified as a therapy dog when she is older
When I first signed up for obedience classes, my reasons were pretty simple. I wanted to be able to walk my dog without being dragged around, and I wanted him to respond to basic commands.
Since meeting my trainer and completing Novice 1, I now know that my dog and I will be doing obedience for the rest of his life. For us, it isn’t just about him listening to commands. It’s about the stimulation that practice gives him, the mutual respect that we’ve established (and that we want to KEEP), and the rewarding feeling that we BOTH get when he performs well. He REALLY loves training, it’s awesome to see. It has made him a strong, confident, respectful little dog and this transfers to every minute of our daily lives.
He’s a Shiba Inu mix/mutt so he really has a TON of energy… obedience is a good outlet for him to focus that energy on something that benefits us both. He’s got a “job” that he likes, and he understands his expectations in terms of performance…. he KNOWS he is good at it, and that motivates him to try even harder.
So that now, is why we will continue to do obedience!
#1 reason is that life with a trained dog is much more pleasant. My dogs are safer and enjoy more freedom because they know how to behave in nearly any situation and what is expected of them. They can accompany me to a variety of places, they can enjoy more off-lead opportunities, and they are not at risk of running off and getting lost if I accidentally drop the leash or they otherwise get loose.
Also, training and working with the dog helps to build a stronger bond between us, as well as giving the dog something to do, mental stimulation and exercise.
Secondarily, we also enjoy competing in obedience, agility, rally etc.
Great Question!
I started obedience training with our first standard poodle. It was our first “real” dog. There are people who met us when we first walked in that are surprised that we actually got obedience titles on her!
Once we started training the basics, we were enjoying it, and stuck around for more advanced classes. The longer we trained, the more we enjoyed it.
And, I can tell you now, that I LOVE it when people say, “Wow, your dogs are so well behaved!” or “Your dogs are better behaved than most children I know”. It means a lot to me! I think back about how poorly behaved she was, and I see that a well trained dog is possible. And, it’s easy to train the basics- if you’re willing to put in the time!
I think it’s important to have the respect of your dog. To have that working relationship. Everything inyour life with your dogs is easier if you do!
Now, I just love to show off the things my dogs can do!
First of all, I don’t want to be that lady with the bad dogs! You see so many people who have dogs (and even kids) that are so poorly behaved, it’s ridiculous. I also like the fact that my dog and I spend time “bonding” over doing obedience training since I’ve done it all myself. It’s been a fun trial and error expierence.
Second, I want to know that I can keep my dog safe. I consider socializing part of obedience training, which means she’ll act nicely around other dogs and other people. I also want to be able to have a reliable recall in case she takes off after a cat or rabbit, etc.
Finally, I’ve always wanted to be involved in Pediatrics, and since I’ve decided being a doctor isn’t for me, I would like to use my dogs for Animal Assisted Therapy. My current dog is of a herding breed, and needs a job and I thought working on AAT would be a good choice for both of us since she happens to love kids and is naturally well behaved around them.
Why did I start? So *I* could learn how to train my dog. Why will I continue? I like working with my dog. I like the feeling that comes when the two of us (or mostly me!) finally get something right. And I really like agility – and obedience is a great foundation for agility. I would also like to get into doing therapy work with my dog – and again, obedience is a start for that.
I believe that obedience training is the basis for anything else you want to do with your dog. It a fundamental skill that both your and your dog should have. Can you do other things (or nothing) with your dog without obedience skills? Yes, but I think it would be much harder.
Are you talking about obedience training classes or just training in gereral? Training and socializing a dog in the puppy years makes for a calm and well behved dog for the future. If you are talking about why do people take classes, well its because the people themselves need help on how to go about the training so they can carry on with it in the home. I have a 5 month old dachshund who has been socialized since 5 weeks old and has met well over 100 people. She also knows her place and is well behaved. She is also VERY loved and my pal. Ive had dogs that I made the mistake of not training early and I paid the price. Never again!
Why? It’s fun!..Here you have an animal that cannot talk, does not think as we do yet we have the power to communicate. It’s like the deaf, they learn to communicate thru sign language. In a way, thats what we are trying do to. Thruout the years, we as humans have found a way to talk to our furkids. It’s fascinating to learn different methods of training, I use almost the same techniques on my training of llamas and goats as I do on my dogs….
Because I want a well behaved dog that will mind me all the time. After that, then I also enjoy pursuing advanced obedience so that we can go to trial and earn titles to prove how well we are doing/have done.
When my puppy was 8 months old.I have a puppy that is 8 weeks old,a puppy that is now 8 months old.I already took my dogs in obedience trials.Take your puppy at 8 months old.That would be the old enough age.
We went to training school with our dogs because we wanted to make sure they would be well behaved dogs – and for safety reasons. We wanted to be able to bring them for a walk without being pulled by 100 lbs.. if they got away from us (as dogs will be dogs) if we call they would come back.. if we tell them to sit and stay they will listen.. all in all it makes for a happy house, nothing worse than an out of control pup!!
I do this with my dogs as a basic training for them and for me!
I personally cant tolerate unruly dogs. No dog will train themselves to obey, you it need to train a dog first in using what ever methods works best for you and your dog.
I personally prefer the toy/praise reward system and not food. I dont mean gushing praise either just a good job or good dog does it for my dogs, or eve n a short one on one time playing with their favorite toy wih me . Not only does this type of train help you bond with your dog it also helps them to understand exactly what is expected from them when you give a comand.
A well trained dog is a happy dog and therefore you have a happy owner. It doesn’t matter what venue you choose for your dogs but it does matter if the dog is well behaved to begin with. It takes time and effort on the owners part but the rewards you get back are over whelming.
Also I feel that any obedience training for what ever you wish your dog to do is always an on going process and has to be reinforced on a daily basis to keep the full training that your dog has already accomplished sharp and keen in the dog.
I feel that if the owner is lazy then the dog also becomes lazy and all that has become accomplished can be lost too.
Just IMO!
I have always enjoyed working with my dogs and all of the behavior stuff. Years ago I was into the all of the obedience trials with my dog. I wanted to go out there and WIN, so guess I am competitive. I haven’t been able to do the trials since I moved to Texas, but I enjoy training my dogs and earning their CGC certificates. I want to work with my dogs as a team. I haven’t been able to have a dog that will do well with as my demo dog to help me with my clients. I know if I hadn’t worked my rottie and all of his issues, his behavior would have been so bad and it would have turned into aggression even past the food aggression, he would have been put down. I wasn’t going to let that happen. He’s work, but he is a sweet boy. He can’t help it if his genetics are part of the problem. I will be here for him to get through the rough spots. With the bad wrap that the rotties get, I am bound and determined to change people about the breed and not fear them.
My shih tzu was very easily trained with clicker. I love watching people smile at her and say, I want my dog to do that and then I can help people train their dogs and build their relationship between them. Building up relationships with our dogs is very important to me and seeing the connection between dog and owner.
I always wanted to work with dogs, but because my husband traveled for his job (no one to keep the kids), caring for my boys and my elderly parents I couldn’t get away to do so.
When I got my Berner I knew I wanted to do more with her then training at home. My boys were older and capable of being at home for a couple of hours on their own. So, my free time is now spent working, training and competing with my dogs. I have my Husky in training now for her CD title…Boy what was I thinking….Husky and Obedience usually doesn’t mix the way I would like!
Why do I do it?
I just enjoy training and competing with them. Its something I have always wanted to do!!
Why?
Because I didn’t want to be the girl with the crazy, out of control dogs that have no respect for their owners.
I enjoyed it and so did my dog. It was a great way for him to learn and more importantly for me to learn.
Dogs love structure and rules and obedience is a great way for them to get used to what you want and EXPECT from them.
Great question btw.
I started training my German Shepherd Dog for the same reason several people had listed: he needed to know basic commands and I didn’t want to be dragged around by a 90 lb dog. Things like walking well, siting when told, not jumping up on people and not begging/barking excessively are things I expect my dog to do and training allowed us to accomplish this together.
I now also have a Border Collie and both breeds require mental stimulation, which [good] training classes will provide. It also is a good bonding experience for me and my pets.
Training is a 365 day a year thing, which is great for maintaining our bond and it’s fun for the dogs. Attending a formal training class also trained ME on how I should interact with my dogs and the things most owners do wrong (myself included).
He is healing from hip surgery (2+ months out now) and is about to start a S&R course. My Border Collie has learned all her basic manners (in roughly one week, so I’ve got my hands full with this one!), and is about to start an intermediate training course and agility.
In addition to the reasons above, both my dogs and I enjoy working together, so we’ll keep going!
I do obedience first off because it is incredibly useful in certain situations. For example, if my dog were to run across the street-not noticing a car was coming-it would obviously be very important that he knows to come back to me or stop if I tell him to in order to keep him from getting hit.
It helps keep them under control-both of them have very high energy. They want to bounce around like a bunch of goofs-it helps to say “sit!” when I need them to settle, and have them actually follow through when I ask. The last thing I need is to be trampled, pulled, and pushed around by the two of them, with my voice going half hoarse from yelling “come! COME! COME!!” over and over and them not listening.
I do hunt tests with both of them. They need to know formal obedience in order to pass their tests.
And lastly, because it reassures my position as boss.
Because I am responsible enough to not want to inflict ‘bratty’ dogs on society.
Because I am proud of this breed, and want to present them as good representatives/ambassadors
Because they are THE most challenging breed to train, and I love the challenge.( because of this, I don’t place my pups until they have the basics down)
Because I travel with them, and need to know I am in control in any situation, for their own safety and my sanity..
But, bottom line..Because I have to live with them.24/7.
( there is a female in rescue right now..I would really, really love to adopt..But, I have sense enough to know that there is too much on my plate right now to give her the dedication to training that she disparately needs) ..
When my first dog, got hit by a car, it lived thank god,but that was seriously a wakeup call to do obedience. It was simple, life or death. I had to pay the price, and every time i saw the scars on my dog’s face i knew it was my fault. I realized all those stupid positive reinforcement don’t do squat, you need correction, without correction, how can you train in distraction?
Now i make sure the very first command any dog i have is come. I don’t care if it knows any other command, if it doesn’t know come then it’s not trained.
I work on obedience training with my dog for many reasons…
I feel that working on obedience is a bonding experience that is especially important because my dog was adopted at the age of 2 1/2.
Obedience really helps with the dog aggression issues my rescue dog has.
Obedience work challenges and stimulates my dog mentally so that she is not hyper.
Obedience work helps establish my rank as leader of my dog.
Obedience work is mentally stimulating for me.
Having a well behaved dog is way better than having a dog that is out of control.
Hmmm… there must be more reasons, but those just came to me.
Excellent question, my friend!
Why train my dogs?
The same reason I train my kids to say “please” and “Thank you” and to look both ways before crossing the street, not talk to strangers, etc.
It’s a matter of being socially acceptable, reliable and safe. I don’t want my dog to run loose and get shot, or hit by a car. I don’t want my dog to act like a maniac around strangers. I want my dog to be polite in all circumstances and reliable in same.
Those are the main reasons…. the other is that the shared time is bonding…..just as is playing ball with your son, or something like that.
I wanted a reliable off leash recall. Once I got started, I realized how fun it was for me and the dog. Obedience trained dogs get to do so many neat things with their owners. I always feel kind of sad for those dogs that are relegated to the backyard all the time. Man what a boring life. I hunt and do obedience/rally competition with my dogs. My nicely trained dogs and I have been invited to many places over the years..
Simply put – because for the safety of my dog, and for my sanity – it is absolutely necessary.
I will not tolerate a dog who cannot/ does not follow my directions.
I also have 2 weak nerved dogs and find that if they have rock solid obedience, they have the ability to work through their fears simply by focusing on my direction rather than what they are afraid of.
I want dog to look to me for decision-making. When dog encounters stress or new situation the classic fight or flight response may occur. This can get dog into trouble. If not conditioned to allow me to determine respone; the dogs response will be reinforced. Beware of trainers who do not enourage working around distractors as they create a sterile training environment where dog’s decision-making skills are not taught or tested.
Why?
My Dobermanns safety is my priority, so basic obedience commands have to be ingrained in my Dobes. Obedience training starts from the day the pup arrives and continues throughout its life.
On command I know my Dobes will “come” and “down”, which potentially can be life saving. My female Dobermann Tori has an incredibly strong chase drive, so the immediate down is important to ensure that she would obey even if she wanted to chase a fox or rabbit ~ not always safe if a road is close by.
Training my male Dobermann is easier as he doesn’t have a strong chase drive, but he is incredibly friendly. The come command is a useful tool to prevent him approaching dogs/people we haven’t met before.