Are you an avid dog lover? Do you consider your dog as part of your family? There are millions of dog owners in the United States today, and among the most common reasons why they choose dogs as pets is because of their companionship. The title, "Man’s Best Friend" never seems to be too old to describe how valuable dogs can be for many individuals and families. However, because not all dogs are created equal, there are some behaviors of dogs that are inappropriate for a home setting or a public place. For this reason, many pet owners turn to dog obedience training in order to remedy their problems about discipline and behavior of their dogs.

Dog obedience training is among the important preparations that pet owners must have when they decide to purchase or adopt a dog. If vaccinations and regular check-ups with a vet are essential for a dog, so is the proper obedience training. This helps the dog behave better in the presence of guests or strangers. A dog will also learn to respect property by not damaging it, and the dog will easily be able to respond to simple commands given by the owner. Dog obedience training also opens up wider channels of communication and understanding between the pet and the owner.

There are dog lovers who choose to hire professional dog trainers for this job, but there are actually hundreds of internet resources that can allow you to be the dog trainer yourself. Developing the skills of a pro dog trainer will make you an effective communicator with your dog, so you can build stronger bonds and be more secure with each other’s companionship.

If you decide to work on some dog obedience training yourself, note that there are generally two methods used by experts today, according to sources. There is the reward method and the leash method. Between these two, most professionals choose the leash method, as it is said to be more traditional, but not necessarily more effective. The reward method is also effective, so both methods can be alternatively used depending on the preference of the owner.

Always be sure you have your gear ready. Have a sturdy leash that is about six feet long, and be sure your dog wears a collar that has about two inches of allowance on it. Have your dog biscuits or treats ready as well. Remember that you must be able to teach your dog basic commands like sit and stay, before you even decide to teach him tricks. Aside from that, in order for the dog to realize his mistake or for him to know that what he is doing is unacceptable, the commands "no" and "stop" should also be taught.

To enhance your dog’s receptiveness to the training, spend about an hour a day with the drills and exercises. Don’t forget to allot time for you and your dog to play, as this also is a good bonding activity. It is never advisable to hit or hurt an animal while training, which is why several methods are always developed to improve on obedience training. Check out more tips and techniques on this aspect of training, and soon you will be on your way to having the best behaved dog in town.