Is Dog Obedience School Right for Your Puppy?
Most people want their dogs to learn how to behave properly in a human environment. It makes things so much easier for both dogs and humans alike, to be sure. Some dogs are very smart and intuitive and seem to have no problem picking up the right behaviors from their human overlords. Sometimes, all it takes is a little bit of gentle instruction to have your dog living like one of the family in no time. There are plenty of dog training books available that can show you just what you need to do to teach your dog quickly and easily. However, some dogs need special assistance…remedial learning, if you will…and these are the pups that can benefit the most from dog obedience school.
In dog obedience school, your dog (along with you) is placed in a class full of other dogs and you all learn things together. It is kind of like human elementary school, except the parents are there. The class will be taught by a certified dog obedience instructor, and your dog will learn basic commands like “sit”, “stay”, “heel”, and “lay down”, as well as some other things he may need to know as a member of a human household.
Most dogs do very well in obedience school, since the course is taught by a professional who has had a lot of experience with all kinds of dogs. Yet, just as some children flunk out of first grade, some dogs just can’t make it through obedience school. It’s not because they are bad dogs, it is just that they aren’t as smart as the other dogs. There are varying degrees of intelligence in humans, and the same is true of dogs. Just remember, your dog wants to please you, so whatever he is able to learn, be grateful for it, and try to adapt to what he can’t learn in as positive a way as possible. You can still learn to live with and love your dog unconditionally, even if he ends up being a dog obedience school drop out!
