Dog or Monster?

A lot of people get pups because they are so cute, sometimes these people don't think much beyond the first few weeks with the pup, and do not consider the work involved. Maybe they think about who will clean up the yard, but often that is the extent of their planning.

Some dog breeds are more apt to become a problem if certain training aspects are over looked. Some dog owners, especially those with small dogs, don't think their dog needs any training. Some times these untrained dogs turn into monsters!

In addition to basic obedience, which covers things like "sit" and "stay" a dog needs to learn three other things. The first is socialization.

1. Socialization is where a dog learns how to behave and interact with other dogs. They learn this with their mom from the age of about five weeks to weaning time, this is one of the reasons why it is best to keep a pup with its' mom for a longer period of time rather than weaning young. For some dogs this is they only time they learn it. A good owner recognizes the importance of proper socialization and takes their puppy to puppy obedience classes. To that point, even adult dogs can learn about socialization by attending classes.
   
   Sadly many owners do not recognize the importance of socialization. I once took a dog training class with a sheltie rescue dog that I was foster caring. In the class there were big dogs and little ones on the first day. On that first day the owners of the small dogs kept their dogs sheltered, one was a Chihuahua, the other was a Shih Tzu cross, who clearly wanted to play with the other dogs. Sadly neither of these dog and owner pairs returned the following week. As such the dogs probably grew up to be fearful of other dogs, a behavior their owners certainly would have reinforced as both were over protective at the lesson. A dog need to learn how to be a dog with other dogs. An organized class situation is the ideal place to start this.
   
2. Leave It. After the basics, like "sit" and "stay", one of the next things a dog needs to learn is the command "leave it". Leave it basically means to leave something alone. A dog needs to be able to focus on you, and leave other distractions alone. If a cat runs by, they need to leave it, if a steak falls on the floor they need to leave it. If a child is playing with a tempting ball, the dog, no matter how interested it is, needs to ignore it. Some breeds of dogs are notorious for killing cats, others have a strong urge to herd or chase things, these natural habits are ones and must be controlled in some situations.
   Training dogs to leave something is best done by creating a positive bond and getting the dog to focus on you instead of the object if his or her attention. At the height of training a dog could even be told to leave its' food.
   
3. Drop It. This is an important lesson in the event your dog gets a hold of something they should not have, and you need to get it. This is not just limited to the time when you are playing ball with the dog, but could be important if you are out for a walk and the dog picks up something it should not. There is nothing worse than having to play tug of war, for something you need, with your supposedly faithful companion. "Drop it" is an invaluable command for people who have potentially aggressive dogs, or retrieving breeds. Nobody plans on witnessing their dog picking up a smaller dog and shaking it, but if it happens, "drop it" could save a life, possibly that of your dog.

To train your dog to drop something offer them a soft treat reward, and praise them when they drop the item in question. As the dog progresses in training an owner should be able to command them, from a distance, to drop an item.

With a bit of consistency, and determination, you can have a well mannered dog. Remember, obedience lessons, and proper training, are an important part of everyday pet ownership.

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