Owners of puppies and dogs will be surprised once they take their dog or puppy to their first training session. Truth is, yes the dog or pup will be taught to sit, stay and come, but ultimately, what the dog trainer will focus on, is teaching the owner how to make their dog sit, stay and come.

If you think a dog training session will consist of a trainer taking your dog and you sitting back and watching, think again.      Dog training is useless if the owner is not present at the training session. Yes, your dog may still be able to learn some tricks while you are away, but since you are the one that will be dealing with the dog 24/7 all its life, you want to be the one that dictates the manners. In order for dog training to be effective, therefore, it requires your full active participation and willingness to learn.

Something that proves that owners play a fundamental role in dog training is the fact that some dogs will be obedient during the training session and then turn back to being their rambunctious, disobedient selves once at home. The reason for this is that very likely the owners are not properly following through at home either because of laziness or because of lack of time.

Training a dog does not happen only during the training session, rather it continues at home and really throughout all the dog's life. Owners must fully understand this, otherwise they are simply wasting their time and money at training sessions. Failing to follow through what is taught during dog training, will only cause a  dog to be back to having behavior problems shortly.

What a trainer basically does during a training session is that he or she shows owners how to make their dog obey while demonstrating different means of accomplishing this. They are basically sharing their years of experience with you and your dog and you are absorbing as much as you can.

In short, you are paying for the the dog trainer's knowledge, and as you persist with what is taught in each session, you will find yourself being much closer to the dog trainer than before. You will find yourself thinking like the dog trainer and reacting to your dog as the dog trainer. You will be reading your dog as you never did before and anticipate certain behaviors and prevent them from happening. In short, you will come out from the session with much more knowledge and power than before.

Turning dog training into a success is not only your dog trainer's responsibility. Rather, it is mostly yours. You must follow through and replicate your teachings at home for the rest of the dog's life. This cooperation between owners and dog trainers is what makes dog training rewarding and much worth it. The leash is ultimately totally in your hands, it is then up to you in being the one to pull in the right direction...