Dog Training Courses - Choose Wisely

By Adam N Jones

The good news it that there here are many dog training courses available. The bad news is that most of them are worthless. You can find them in your neighborhood, online or order one through the mail. First of all, how do you know if you need one? And if you decide your dog needs training, how do you choose the best course?

Do You Need A Dog Training Course?

You can train a dog on your own. You can find books, do online research or consult with someone who has trained dogs. The information is certainly available. However, a dog training course can save you time and possibly prevent you from making mistakes.

Whether or not you decide to put your dog through formal training depends on several factors. First of all, what do you want from your dog? If you only want a housebroken dog who doesn't bite, you may not need much training. On the other hand, if you want an obedient dog who sits, stays, doesn't pull on the leash and generally obeys your commands, you will need to do some training or bring your dog to someone who knows how to get these responses.

Some dogs require training more than others. If you have a dog with a problem, whether it involves housebreaking him, chewing, biting or excessive barking, you will have to get him trained if you want to correct the problem.

How To Choose A Dog Training Course

In choosing a course, you will have to factor in your budget, the amount of time you have, and the level of training you want. If you can afford it, you can find a qualified dog obedience school and put your dog through a thorough program. Or you could find a good trainer and work on more specific issues.

Another option is to find a good course available online or on video, or from a book and do it yourself. The advantage to this method is that you don't have to hire anyone else and you can schedule the sessions at your convenience. Of course, when you do something yourself, you also need more discipline and commitment. Once you start training a dog, you have to be consistent about it. If you start training, then forget about it for a few weeks and go back to it before the dog has absorbed it, he will have forgotten the lessons and you'll have to start over from scratch.

There are many dog training courses available. You have to carefully consider your needs and that of your dog, to make the right decision for both of you.

I found out that there is an easy way and a hard way to train a dog. Dog training courses aren't all the same!