At Dog Obedience Training, it’s our goal to help caring dog parents find answers to all their dog obedience questions. Whether you’re bringing home your first puppy, or you’ve shared a kinship with three best friends, our resources offer developmental guidance and dog obedience training every step of the way, and for every level of expertise.

We’ve compiled expert dog obedience training instruction from leading trainers whose strategies have offered ease to even the most discouraged pet owner.  In our mission to educate our dog parenting family, we encourage you to subscribe to our newsletter, which offers ongoing tips and advice on how you can help your dog achieve its best life.

For dog obedience training to be as stress-free, enjoyable, and effective as possible, here are some basic yet crucial tips:

Leadership – When training your dog, think in terms of ‘Alpha leadership’ because it’s the foundation upon which all good dog obedience training is built upon.  Learn to assert yourself to show your dog(s) that you are in charge.  This is especially so in cases when, for example, your dog is showing uncalled for aggression towards another dog in your house.  Usually, this means that the dog showing the aggressive behavior is unsure of their role in the house and is trying to protect you and their perceived space.  It’s your responsibility to take control as the alpha leader and show that neither dog has the right to be aggressive.

Commands - The first thing to remember about commands is that this is actually a two-way street.  Too many people get frustrated when their dogs don’t seem to understand their commands or obey specific orders (such as the basics of Stay, Sit, Run, Quiet, and Heel).  However, for dog obedience training to be truly effective, the onus is equally on you, the owner, to make sure that you’re giving your commands clearly, properly, and consistently.

Biting and Barking – These are two of the most common dog obedience problems.  The type of specific dog obedience training for these issues would depend on the severity of the behavior and the reasons why (for example, a dog may bark excessively for many reasons, from attention-seeking to anxiety to out of sheer boredom!).  One thing remains constant, and that is that it’s far, far better to reward good behavior than punish or reward bad behavior.  An example of this would be rewarding your dog with a treat when they stop barking after you give them a ‘Stop’ phrase.

Walking – How do you avoid having your dog take you for a walk? One key thing to remember with dog obedience training is that if you want to train your dog’s walking behavior the right way and avoid the dreaded leash-pulling, it must start from the moment you pick up that leash.

You must establish the mood of your walk right then and there. If your dog is far too excitable when you pick up the leash, don’t head out the door with them yet – wait until they calm down. And during your walk, make sure they understand that leash pulling will stop the walk, so every time they pull on the leash, instead of pulling back (which doesn’t do much good), just stop.

Proper dog obedience training is crucial, and the above is just a small smattering of strategies for training your dog. It can be quite a task, yes – but when done right can also be extremely rewarding for both owner and dog. Remember when dog obedience training your dog to be assertive yet reassuring, consistent, and to always keep a good sense of humor… it will be much more fun for everyone, and the results will surely come faster!