WHY TRAIN?

Author: Melanie Benware, Trainer, Glen Allen

A well-behaved, trained dog is a pleasure to own because he can go virtually anywhere without being a risk or a nuisance to others. Who doesn’t want a dog who exhibits appropriate behavior in a crowd, good manners when we have guests in our home, and doesn’t threaten other dogs or passers-by? Dog training benefits everyone; you as a responsible pet owner and those who get the chance to appreciate spending rewarding time with your pet.

Not only will training help your dog to become more responsive and respectful, but in an emergency situation, obedience training may save your dog’s life. In fact, it can ultimately save the lives of many dogs, because far fewer dogs would end up in animal shelters if their owner would simply take the time to train them. And for those dogs who do need homes, a trained-dog is far easier to adopt out than an untrained one.

Statistics also show that puppies which receive early socialization and training are far less likely to be relinquished, or worse, euthanized by the time they turn three than those that do not received this early training.

Without proper training, many dogs are likely to misbehave. And when owners allow their dogs to misbehave, everyone suffers: the owner, because he or she lives with the dog; the dog, because everyone scolds him for misbehaving; and ultimately every dog owner, because each incidence where a dog creates a nuisance, it increases anti-dog sentiment and contributes to the likelihood that tough legal restrictions will be placed on all dogs.