A lot of dog owners don’t train their dogs or have trained dogs. Or if they do, the training only goes so far as to be entertaining or something that can be considered cute. This is simply not enough since owning a dog is a responsibility as well as a pleasure.
To train a dog is basically an obligation and for a few good reasons.
Before getting into those, though, it should be noted what training even means. To some, it’s all about getting the dog to obey basic commands. To others, it can involve getting the dog to do some pretty incredible tricks and performances.
The sweet spot falls somewhere in the middle where the dog becomes used to the idea of following commands without necessarily going through a special training program. For the really complex and demanding sessions, those will typically be reserved for police or military dogs.
Mutual Benefit
The biggest reason why training your dog is a good idea is due to the fact that it will be mutually beneficial. An untrained dog can often be a source of great stress for the owner regardless of how much they love their dog. Likewise, a stressed owner can also greatly contribute to the anxiety and emotional issues that dogs might have.
Through training, many of the problems that dog owners often have to deal with will be addressed. By getting rid of the root of the problem, there will be less of a chance for things to escalate.
The dog will do exactly what you want, which makes you happy. In turn, the dog will get more love and care from you since you are happy. In that scenario, everybody wins.
Now, this isn’t to say that owners can’t love their dogs if they are not trained. Millions of people have no problems showing affection to their canine companions even if they can’t perform a single trick.
With that said, everyone is different and every dog is different. There will be wild variations in how both people and canines respond to situations where the lack of training becomes an issue.
Aggression, embarrassing behavior, depression, and so on can be a huge source of frustration, after all. Why would you want to deal with that when you can just get the problem fixed with professional training?
Safety Reasons
A trained dog is safer to be around than one that has never received any training. Aside from that, trained dogs are also less likely to be harmed, which can often be a problem with unruly canines. When your dog is untrained, for example, it could run out into the street and oncoming traffic.
There have been plenty of examples of this happening, which is a pity since it could be avoided.
Coming back to the point, though, if you want to keep your dog as safe as possible then the dog will need to be trained. It can be done by you, which will take a lot of time and patience on your part. It can also be done by a professional.
There are considerable upsides when you go with the latter since it involves less time investment on your part. You can focus on work and other aspects of your life while still getting the benefit of a trained dog.
A professional dog trainer will also be a lot more effective in teaching your dog. This will prevent any risk of confusion or conflicting responses on the part of your dog when you are giving a command. When you tell your dog to sit, this command will be obeyed instantly. When you tell your dog to stay inside and not run out into the street, then this is exactly what will happen.
Social Health
Social interactions with dogs can be a rather complicated affair despite how simple it may seem. Dogs may just look like they are playing around and messing about, but the dynamics between them are subtly influenced by personality and behavior.
To that end, a well-trained dog will interact with others exactly as they are expected to. There are no surprises such as sudden bouts of aggression without provocation.
Your dog will also be less likely to lunge at other dogs when you are going for a walk. This can often be a huge source of stress and anxiety for owners, after all.
Easier to Board
When you have to go on vacation or take a business trip, bringing your dog with you can be a major challenge. One of the ways this can be dealt with is by leaving your dog with someone else, preferably someone you know and trust.
Naturally, if the dog is untrained, there is the chance that the person whom you left the canine with will be troubled. This is something that you might want to avoid if you plan on leaving your dog with that person again.
If the dog is trained, though, boarding will be less stressful. The dog will obey their commands and will also comply with prompts like entering crates or not messing with the garbage cans.
Closer Bonds
Whether you are training your dog yourself or having a professional do it, there will still be some interactions between the two of you. This will help build trust and authority in the relationship, which can lead to a closer bond.
More than that, a trained dog is much easier to be around than one that isn’t. You can take them out for walks more frequently and you will be less hesitant to bring them with you on trips whenever possible.
The result will be a bond between you and your dog that gets stronger the more time you spend together.
Conclusion
Dog owners should have their canine companions trained for more than just the sake of enjoyment. Trained dogs are safer, more sociable, and less likely to cause stress to anyone. It would also be highly beneficial to the relationship between the owner and the dog if the pooch is trained. You can do the training yourself or, even better, have a professional trainer do it.
