For most dog owners there are some very basic reasons for wanting to mold the behavior of their pet. A dog without some basic dog obedience training can be like that annoying uncle in the family who has none of the social graces, always loud and obnoxious, makes a mess of the house, always sticking his nose into other peoples business - you know what I mean. You still love him but you just wish he wasn't around so much.

Well, you should want to be around your dog. Isn't that why you brought him into your home, to be your friend and companion? This will happen when you find a reciprocal level of respect and understanding. This in turn grows out of finding the best way to communicate with your dog making sure he clearly understands what the boundaries are and what you expect from him.

Common to all reputable dog obedience methods should be the understanding and acceptance of the following basic concepts, though they may be stated differently:

* It's important to understand that dogs are pack animals and thrive when there is clearly defined leadership and they know what is expected of them. This is important to understanding how the canine mind works.

* It is your job to be the leader ? consistently, repetitiously, persistently, and patiently.

* Tied in with patience is the tone of voice you use. Commands should be given firmly with no ambiguity, but also patiently with no yelling. Your dog must not be confused once he understands what you want. There can be no refusal or ignoring of your command.

* Reward and corrective action are also basic concepts in any dog training for obedience course. Reward could be in the form of praise a treat, or a ?click? (clicker training) while corrective action could be in the form of withholding praise, a treat, a scratch, or a firm ?No.?

Dog Training ? Basic Obedience

It's always good to start with the basics. Look for a program that starts with these fundamental concepts and commands:

The Come or Come Here (Recall) command is very important for control of your pet. Nobody wants a dog that ignores them nor do you want to have to mount a search party every time he is outside and off his lead.

Stand and Stay, Sit and Stay, and Down and Stay commands are very helpful especially in situations where there are groups of people and activities where your dog needs to be kept away or out from underfoot.

Walking on and off lead, sometimes called ?heeling? is very important training as there is nothing more unpleasant then having an uncontrollable dog pulling and tugging on the leash and lunging at other dogs, animals, and people.

In addition to these basic commands many methods will include turns, fetch and carry, back up, crawl, shake hands, catch, climb ladders etc., and all of these with hand commands as well as verbal commands.

Other behaviors and/or problems that will be dealt with in a well rounded dog training for obedience program are house training, excessive barking, biting and nipping, chewing, digging up the yard, aggression, and jumping up on people and furniture. There may also be some discussion of the best dog obedience training equipment to have available.

This is a snapshot of the things to look for in a reputable dog obedience training program. Of course a good method and system for training are key to the welfare and safety of your pet, but also to your peace of mind and enjoyment of your canine companion.