Dog Obedience Training –
Should I D.I.Y?
Dog obedience training is the basic foundation to communicating with your dog. As you and your family become your dog’s pack, your dog will naturally look for someone to lead the way. In fact, it’s unrealistic to expect a dog to abide by the rules of the household without first establishing leadership. Dog obedience training can be an enjoyable process as you become an effective leader for your dog and, together, you celebrate your training successes.
Whether training your dog alone or with your family, it’s important to first decide on your training plan. At this point, most dog owners think “should I go DIY or should I hire a professional dog trainer?” If you’re in that place or about to be – congratulations on choosing to provide your dog obedience training. Whether you choose to DIY or get professional dog training help we support you either way. We can chat all day about the benefits of professional dog training…we’re obviously a little bias. But if you’re considering a DIY approach please also consider these questions:
WHICH RESOURCE SHOULD I USE?
The internet is a virtual treasure load when it comes to free information. There are several free options available for dog obedience training guides and videos. We are huge fans of dog owners that look for help before getting started with DIY dog obedience training. However, be sure the training program you choose is:
- Credible – this resource has a proven history in dog obedience training.
- Respectful – has a respectful approach to dog training and you agree with their methods
- Consistent – you are able to follow through on the training and the step-by-step video/training guide doesn’t leave you hanging.
- Follow-Through – Make sure you can follow-through on the training with support materials or ability to work with this resource directly. When your dog performs just as expected it’s great, but when things go wrong or it just isn’t working you’ll need a resource to help you troubleshoot.
CAN I REALLY COMMIT THE TIME?
One common pit fall we see with this approach is that many dog owners just don’t understand that dog obedience training requires TIME. Don’t get us wrong, ALL dog training requires time, but when you chose a DIY approach this timeline is often extended.
- Learning Curves – Many dog owners have a full-time job already, and usually it isn’t as a professional Dog Trainer. You will have a learning curve as a dog trainer in addition to the learning curve of your furry-faced trainee. Since your dog can only learn and grow as you’re available to train them, this can slow down the process. Your dog will learn slower and be more likely to slip out of training unless you can be consistent.
- Schedule Changes – Many dog owners underestimate how much adding the role of “Dog Trainer” to their list will change their schedule. We recommend that you can create windows of time consistently each day to help your dog learn and grow. This is the difference from training that sticks and “fun activities we did one day.”
WHAT WILL I DO IF IT DOESN’T WORK?
It’s important to consider what you will do when you don’t know what to do. Not all dogs are the same – they each have different breeds, sizes, shapes and personalities that cause for a LOT of variety in behavior. So while you might have high-hopes for easy dog obedience training, you must consider what you will do when (not “if”, when) they don’t act as expected. Sometimes dog owners are able to troubleshoot on their own but other times it’s much more complicated. Be sure you have a resource to help when it just isn’t working. We help dogs at ANY stage and with ANY struggle and believe all dogs can be good dogs with the right amount of love and training.
AM I READY TO BE PATIENT AND SEE THIS THROUGH?
With those guides, we hope you have enough to move forward and feel confident with dog obedience training. However, whatever you do, please recognize this process can be frustrating and difficult for both you and your dog. If you choose a DIY approach please know you will PROBABLY struggle a little. That is OK. Whatever you do, please don’t just give up on your dog. Please be kind and use a soft touch at all times and recognize when it’s time to get some help. We’re here for you and there are a lot of other resources for support when things go wonky.
Dog Gone Amazing is here to help!
If you make the choice to arrange professional dog obedience training, we are happy to help. Dog Gone Amazing can help you decide on the right training plan for you and your dog at whichever level you choose.
If DIY interests you and you prefer a more one-on-one, learn with your dog approach read more about our Dog Training Lessons.
If you would like a more immersive, quick-learn style where a professional dog trainer teaches the dog obedience training for you, learn more about our Board and Train programs.
We also offer In-Home Dog Training that can be a great match for dog-owners who can’t, or don’t have the time to, travel.
We are always here to help, call 775-800-1011 or email info@doggoneamazing.com