Obedience Training

A Veterinarian's Perspective


Sequoyah German
Shepherds

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Last updated 8/01/07

Obedience Training

The first step in training a dog is obedience. Any dog, regardless of shape, size, or age can be trained for obedience.  This is the core of all dog training.  Without good basic obedience, a dog cannot receive any meaningful advanced training. The long term benefits of a well trained dog will be seen and appreciated by their owner on a daily basis.

Obedience training opens clear channels of communication between you and your dog.  Obedience is the tool we use to teach our dog house manners and other socially acceptable behaviors.  Obedience is used to control your dog in every day life and also during times of excitement or anxiety.   Obedience teaches your dog to respect you as the leader and a trusted friend.   Obedience teaches your dog useful commands that allow your dog more freedom and safety.

Dogs are working animals and enjoy work as long as it is enforced in a positive way.  It is not enough for a dog to just know a few commands. You want to make obedience a way of life for your dog. Work should take up most of a dog’s day. You must keep their minds busy. This should include daily rules and guidelines.  What happens at home on a daily basis greatly out-weighs everything else, so it is very important for the owner to become an expert on their own dog.

Owners need to learn how to read their dogs and anticipate their next move.  This is a crucial element in dog training. They also need to learn proper usage of equipment, how to correct properly and how to reward with lasting results.  Your dog should obey commands like heel, turn, sit, down, stay, come, etc.  Obedience training will also help stop bad habits.    

A dog is never too old or to young to start with obedience training.  Here at Sequoyah Shepherds, we train with Service Dogs of America (SDA).  There are many good trainers and training clubs out there, though. BUT, Do your research!  Choose a trainer or club that will meet the needs of both you and your dog.  Make sure that your trainer can adapt their training to each individual dog because, like people, each dog has their own personality and must be trained as such. 

 

The Dog must heel when told to heel, usually keeping to the left of his handler.

 

 

 

 

The dog must sit when told to sit!

 

 

The dog must down when told to down!

 

 

 

The dog must stay when told to stay! Once he has been told to stay, he is not allowed to move from his spot.

 

 

 

The dog must come when told to come!

 

 

 

The dog must not respond to any command coming from any other person.

 

 

 

Voice commands can be done in any language. Besides voice commands, your dog will often also learn the nuances of your body language!