Dogs are incredible companions for you and your family, but a cute little puppy or rescue animal can quickly become a burden if not properly trained. Obedience school is an essential part of bringing any new pet home, but training can also happen any time after that if you start to see signs that your furry friend needs some extra behavioral help. Here are a few signs that you can look for to determine if your dog needs obedience training.
1: You Just Brought a New Puppy or Rescue Dog Home
The sooner you can start with dog training, the better. If you have a new little puppy and can get them in training before they create habits (that training will have to reset later), that will usually lead to better results for your puppy and you. Even if your dog is older, setting up dog training classes early on can help them create the right habits and behaviors as they grow.
2: Your Dog Won’t Obey Your Commands
You may not take your small puppy out much, especially as they are learning a new environment. But as they grow and you take them out more, perhaps to the local dog park or on walks through the neighborhood, they are exposed to other animals, people, and plenty of distractions. If your puppy won’t obey your commands that’s a sign it’s time to get enrolled in obedience training. If you know your dog will be in a lot of social settings, consider group training so they learn to obey even with distractions like other dogs or people around.
3: Your Dog is Getting into Everything
Over time puppies get curious and start exploring the world around them. When that happens they may start to get into things around the house or yard that are dangerous, harmful, or just annoying (like chewing your favorite shoes or clawing the furniture). Without training a gentle puppy could also become more aggressive, which could be a risk for young children or other animals in your home.
4: Your Puppy Doesn’t Get Along with Other Dogs
Dogs that are not properly socialized and trained can have difficulty interacting with other animals, especially other dogs. If you notice that your puppy or rescue pet is aggressive around other animals, barks a lot at other dogs, or has a significant change in behavior with other dogs around, obedience school could be a good way to expose them to other dogs to learn proper behavior.
It’s important to note that obedience school won’t help with all behavioral or mental health issues for your dog, such as excessive barking, anxiety, or depression. Animal behaviorists are better to deal with these things.
If your puppy is ready for obedience training classes, contact Innovative K-9 Academy today to get enrolled in one of our group or private classes.