The Top 7 Benefits of a Well-Trained Dog
Making sure your dog has proper training is a big responsibility for every dog owner. Training teaches obedience and respect that benefits you and your dog in communicating well. When a dog goes untrained, it could run off and not come back when you call them or exhibit other behavioral issues that become a source of stress.
So check out these 7 reasons why training your dog is necessary to be a responsible dog owner and caring pawrent.
1. Training teaches responsibility and discipline
When you train your dog, they aren’t the only ones reaping the benefits. By exercising your responsibility to train them, you also teach them discipline. In addition, with training, you’re recognizing their listening skills and learning how they communicate with you in different ways.
Your dog will pick up on your commands and learn that you are in charge through the process. Of course, dogs are our family and our precious furbabies, but they’re also our companions that need to listen to our guidance. If you’re a new dog parent or you’ve never taken your dog to a training class, it’s a good idea to find a program that works for both of you.
2. Proper training protects dogs
The more your dog will listen to you when they aren’t on a leash or accidentally get away from you, the better. After all, you don’t want them running off into traffic or other dangerous situations because they won’t come back to you when you call them.
Plus, if your dog runs off without their collar and becomes lost, they will behave well around others while they’re lost. Their good behavior can signal to people that the dog has a home because they’re bound to be friendlier and more likely to approach other people.
3. It helps dogs become more friendly and sociable
As your dog learns about respecting boundaries during training, they learn how to behave in social situations with other dogs and people. Because of this, your dog will make everyone more comfortable in these settings. As a result, these will be memorable experiences for your dog that will positively affect how they interact with others.
4. Training makes boarding your dog easier
It’s one thing when your dog obeys your commands, but a victory when they also follow the commands of your family, friends, and even strangers. So when you’re out of town and can’t bring your dog with you, they can stay with someone you know or at a boarding facility without an issue.
Your dog should know how to behave well around other people, especially when you’re not around them. So it’s a relief to leave your dog with a pet sitter or board them up and be confident that they will be a good guest for their host.
5. Creates a stronger bond between you and your dog
When you work with your dog and practice training techniques, whether that’s teaching them how to sit, stay, or come home, the experience strengthens the bond between the both of you. After all, practice makes perfect, so the more you work with your dog on specific goals, the more you will understand each other. So it’s not just about teaching your dog proper training techniques; it’s about working together on the goal of bettering your communication.
6. Training teaches you about your dog’s instincts
With different breeds of dogs out there, every dog’s behavior can differ based on their instincts. For example, breeds like Border Collies enjoy doing certain tasks for brain stimulation. Greyhounds tend to be prey-driven, so they may chase wildlife on walks. Belgian Malinois’s get bored easily, so they need to burn off energy with exercise and activities. Even if your dog is a mixed breed, training with help, you discover their instincts. Which, in turn, will work with them to better teach your dog how to listen to your commands.
7. Prevents indoor accidents
If your dog knows how to behave in the home, especially around family members like small children, you can prevent all kinds of accidents. For example, if you train your dog not to be defensive of their food bowl, it’s less likely that they’ll nip if someone gets too close by mistake. Or, if your dog is prone to potty accidents, training them to let you know when they need to go outside can prevent unwanted messes on the floor.
After digging through these benefits, take the leap and sign up for a dog obedience class if you haven’t already. You never know what new tips and tricks you and your dog could pick up to improve your communication skills. Whether you’re a new pawrent with a puppy or if you just adopted a senior dog, training can benefit dogs of all ages. Which, in turn, improves your peace of mind when going out for walks or in social situations.
Is your dog trained? Have you ever attended a dog obedience class, or do you train your dog(s) yourself? Let us know in the comments below!