Almost every dog owner will agree that their furry friends are one of life’s greatest joys. From offering friendship and comfort to protection and loyalty, a dog can easily bring an extra source of life to any home. But it’s not always a given, as dogs can sometimes be pretty hard to handle, from poor leash manners and general nervousness to poor socializing skills. Even with a dog owner’s best efforts, a dog can go off the trail sometimes in terms of its mannerism.
So why exactly are obedience schools important? You may be wondering why you should take your dog to an obedience school instead of handling it on your own. Whether you’ve had your dog for a while now or only recently adopted a puppy, it must receive all the basic training it needs to live in a home and socialize with humans or with other pets. That aside, some dogs also need training more urgently than other dogs to help them deal with issues like fear and unwarranted aggression. So if your furry buddy starts exhibiting the following behaviors, then it’s time to check it into a dog obedience school.
Growling or snarling
Have you ever tried to pick up your dog’s toy or touch their food only to hear them snarling or growling at you? That’s not an attitude you should let go unchecked. While this may be a natural dog behavior known as resource guarding, it can also escalate when you fail to teach your dog that snarling and showing its teeth will not get it what it wants.
You rescued your dog from a previous traumatic situation
If you got your dog from a dog shelter or rescued it from a traumatic situation, you need to give it enough obedience training before making the dog a full member of your home, especially if you have little kids. While adopting a rescue dog or rescuing a dog can be rewarding, you can never tell what the dog’s previous life has been like, although some shelters do have the full story of their dogs’ past lives. Traumatic experiences like abuse or neglect can affect how a dog behaves, causing unhealthy behaviors due to a lack of trust.
Excessive barking
Many dogs bark excessively, and this common behavioral issue usually has several causes, ranging from a smell of danger to your dog just being vocal. But regardless of the reason, excessive barking can be very frustrating for any dog owner. And an obedience school will help you identify your dog’s issue and help you control your dog’s barking.
Failing to understand basic commands
It takes time for most dogs to recognize certain basic commands, but nothing proper training won’t resolve. However, if your dog still fails to recognize basic training commands after giving it the training it needs, then you may need professional hands to add more structure to your dog’s training.
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