When a dog misbehaves it is not because they are bad, it is usually because they are dogs and they are simply acting like the animals they are. They will eat the furniture and everything else that strikes their fancy, jump up on things and people and even bite the hands that feed them. While dog obedience training may not solve every issue of behavior you have with your dog, it is a way of helping the dog understand what your expectations are.

In most cases, the dog will want to please its owner, once it understands just which of you is the boss, and once established will mostly do as directed. However, before the new dog will give itself over to dog obedience training, the social pecking order has to be understood. This by no means hints that harsh steps are needed to make the dog submissive to the owner. Simple commands such as sit, kiss or stay can be taught with an even, stern, not necessarily loud voice, can make the animal understand who is in charge.

By recognizing the dog's submissive behavior with praise, the animal will become open for additional dog obedience training and additional steps can be taken. Certain breeds, however will only acknowledge one "big dog" in the house and the owner's spouse or children may be ignored if they attempt to give the animal a command.

It Is Never Too Late To Begin Training

The old saying that it is not possible to teach an old dog new tricks is not valid as dogs can and will be open to dog obedience training, provided it is done in the right fashion. Beginning dog obedience training should start as soon as the dog arrives at its new home, regardless of the animal's age, as it has learned behaviors that you may want it to "unlearn" before it begins to learn new ways of doing things.

Once a relationship and order has been established between you and the dog, it will be ready to start learning expected behaviors from you. Understand, however that some old behaviors may creep back into the animal's daily routine and you must show the dog through your dog obedience training that you understand he is a creature of habit, but that the actions are unacceptable.

If you have never trained a dog before, it may be good to take you and the animal to a dog obedience class to learn the basics and then continue with dog obedience training at your home. Remember to be consistent with the training or the dog may become confused about what is expected.

A new puppy can be cute, playful - and a furry bundle of terror if he is not properly trained. This is why dog behavior training is such an important first step in the puppy care process. A well-trained dog is a welcome addition to the family, and a source of companionship and enjoyment for many years. Training should begin from the first day that your dog enters your home, and will continue until your pet understands all of the rules of the house and abides by them consistently. The time that you spend working with your pet on dog behavior training will be time well spent indeed.

How to Complete Dog Behavior Training

When you do sit down to work with your puppy, there are some good rules of thumb to follow. First, make sure that the commands that you give your dog are always consistent. This means that if you do not want your puppy sleeping on your leather sofa, do not ever allow him to sit upon it. Get those rules of the house established early, and you won't find yourself working overtime to try to break your pet of the bad habits that have been allowed previously. As you teach the rules to your pup, make sure that you stay calm and controlled in dealing with your dog. If you find your pet continuously misbehaving, a "time out" in his crate will allow both of you a cool-down period and show your dog that his behavior is not acceptable.

Don't Over Train or Over Praise

Since puppies do indeed have a short attention span, keep the focused training sessions short and to the point. Ten minutes a day of intense work with your dog will be sufficient to help your pet behave properly. As your dog obeys your commands during your dog behavior training time, a response of "Good dog" and a stroke to the head is sufficient praise for a job well done. Let your pet know by your expression, tone and touch that you are pleased with his obedience and then move on to your next dog behavior training point. Dogs will respond much better to this type of approach that allows them to focus more effectively on their training session.

The most important thing to remember with your dog behavior training session is that you always bring along plenty of patience. With time and some effort, your dog will become a welcome addition to your family and an enjoyable companion for you for many years to come.