Obedience Training for Dogs

Kennel clubs conduct obedience training classes for dogs. Registering the dog for obedience classes is a must since these sessions can be highly effective in opening up a channel of communication between the dog and the master. A beginner's class can pave the way for advanced training sessions. The owner is required to furnish proof of vaccination before registering the dog for obedience training classes.

Obedience Training for Dogs

Training is a must in case of police dogs or dogs engaged in law enforcement work. Generally, police dogs start out with basic obedience training that teaches them the importance of obeying the dog trainer's commands. The handler may use a number of techniques to keep a check over the dog's inherent aggression and direct it towards positive pursuits. Using electric dog training collars or simple dog collars or muzzling a dog, may be necessary in case of overly aggressive dogs. On successful completion of obedience training, the handler moves on to provide specialty training that may include tracking suspects, sniffing out narcotics, illicit substances, guns and explosives. Trained German Shepherds and Bloodhounds often accompany officers who are in the pursuit of felons and suspects. Dogs play a very important role in police work. In fact, recently Britain's Cambridgeshire force retired a pack of 8 police dogs and decided to pay for the cost of food, kennel and veterinary treatment.

Obedience training is a must for dogs entrusted with the task of guiding handicapped people. Guide dogs are wonderful companions for the visually impaired. The job of a guide dog is as challenging as that of a law enforcement dog, since the former is expected to guide the master without paying attention to the various distractions that may result in the dog straying from its course. Helping the master cross a road, board a bus and guiding him/her to a coffee shop or a grocery store is indeed a daunting task. Although the dog needs to obey the master, there are times when the dog may have to selectively disobey certain commands. For instance, the dog has to refuse to obey the master's command at a pedestrian crossing if the pedestrian is not given the right of the way. The dog needs to use judgment, a quality we may not associate with our canine friends.

How are Dogs Trained?

Handlers often have fascinating accounts on obedience training for dogs. Basic obedience training includes rewarding the dog with food that acts as an incentive for improved performance. Muzzling the dog, when the dog seems aggressive and rewarding it by unfastening the muzzle, can help check aggression in dogs. This is a common technique for training dogs that are particularly aggressive or irritable. Police dogs are often trained to sniff by hiding their favorite toy along with packets of illicit substances. The dog proceeds to sniff through a bunch of stuff only to stumble upon its favorite toy. This behavior becomes ingrained in the dog's psyche and it learns to associate the smell of narcotics with its favorite toy. This is just a simple example of training dogs. Guide dogs are trained by tugging at their leash when they stray from their course. They gradually associate the pinching sensation in their neck with disobedience and learn to obey in due course of time.

One needs to ensure that one trains a dog before housebreaking. This is necessary to prevent the dog from soiling the house, barking unnecessarily, biting the neighbors and even the owner. House training a puppy requires considerable knack and skill and the use of a number of dog training tools. The best way of training a dog is by hiring the services of a handler or the kennel club that ensure that the owner has a lovable and obedient canine companion.