Choosing A Good Dog Obedience School

by Lee Dobbins

Everyone wants a well trained dog, but sometimes your pet may be a little difficult or you just might not have the time or know how to train him properly. Luckily you can get help and it's as easy as enrolling your dog in a dog obedience school.

Perhaps you have seen people with unruly dogs, or maybe even have resigned yourself to think that your dog will never do as he's told. Maybe you've gotten used to coming home from work and finding chewed shoes and trash all over the house. Perhaps you've even taken to walking your dog at night when no neighbors are out because you simply can't control him when people and other dogs are around.

You don't have to resign yourself to thinking your dog will never behave and in, fact you owe it to yourself and your pet to do everything you can to get him trained properly. Having a well behaved dog can save trouble for both yourself and your pet. An unruly dog could bite a neighbor or child causing you legal problems. If your dog barks a lot or gets loose all the time you may even find yourself in trouble with the police. And most importantly, if your dog will not come when called, you have limited methods to keep him out of harms way.

A dog obedience school trainer will show you how to communicate with your dog to get him to listen to you. He'll learn how to behave around people as well as other dogs and the basic commands such as "down", "sit", "stay", and heel. Your dog will probably even enjoy this as he will get to spend time with your which is all he really wants in the first place!

Picking a dog obedience school is kind of like choosing a school for your kids - you want to be sure to send him to the right one. Of course, since you will probably be attending as well you want one that works for the both of you so you need to do a little research before you settle on the school.

One thing to consider when researching dog obedience schools is a reference from others who have attended the school. Perhaps you have a friend, co-worker or neighbor you can ask? If not you can ask the school for references and phone someone who has been through the program. You should have a list of basic questions you can ask about the school and the outcome of the dogs training. If you get positive answers then you may have found your school, otherwise, it's time to move on to the next choice.

Another thing you want to do when narrowing down your choice of obedience schools is to visit the "campus". Just like picking a college, you want to be sure that the school offers a good environment. Make sure the school seems well organized and the trainers are knowledgeable. Also, you will probably want a friendly environment where your dog (and you) feel comfortable.

Talking to the trainers at the school is also a good idea. Find out about the methods that each instructor uses and you might even introduce them to your dog to be sure they will get along. Your training will be much more successful if both you and your dog are comfortable with the trainer.

Dog obedience school can be a great way to turn your unruly pet into a great companion that will not embarrass you in social situations and you can really take anywhere you want. The whole training process can help you bond with your dog and truly help him be your best friend.

About the Author Lee Dobbins writes for http://www.epet-center.com where you can learn more about dogs, dog training and all your pet needs.