Sit, Stay, Good Dog

We have all had one of those dogs in our life . . . the one who dives head first into mud puddles after a nice long bath, who drags our freshly planted begonias off into the neighbor's yard and finds our most expensive Jimmy Choos and uses them as none other than dental floss. While these examples of common behavior woes are more than enough reason to get off the couch and get to training, there are many other reasons that training your dog is not only a good idea but a vital must.

Do you have a pup that sprouts horns when you turn your head? Then read on to find our favorite four reasons to help him find his halo today.

Safety First

If you have ever had a pup who truly adored you, who followed your little ones to the ends of the earth and carefully watched the movements of strangers with an "I dare you" look in his eye then it's easy to see firsthand that dogs are a protective bunch.

Dogs who have been around long enough to witness you bringing home a brand new bundle of joy tend to be twice as protective. In fact, it's not uncommon to hear stories of dogs who actually try to mother our toddling sweeties! While this is an excellent thing for our little ones, and an adorable one at that, this can spell trouble for well-meaning folks who come near our children.

Training your dog can help ensure that in the instance that our dogs go into "mommy mode" they can be quickly refrained, ensuring the safety of a well-wishing stranger or your great Uncle Angus who looks a bit scruffily but means no harm.

Neighborly Nuisances

No matter how much you adore your sweet elderly neighbor Miss Miller or your favorite friend from across the way, there will always be a Mr. Wilson in every community. You know the one, the dreaded nemesis of Dennis the Menace and his rascally dog.

While you may secretly chuckle at the "surprise" your dog left on his door step . . . and while his grumpiness may be seemingly deserving of the occasional tinkling on his rose bush, in the end these little neighborly nuisances can spell danger for your dog.

When it comes to tolerance for misbehavior, you may have a lot it, but a neighbor might not be so compensating. Fed up neighbors have been known to call animal control or even take matters into their own hands. Unfortunately some people have even been known to poison or abuse pets that come into their yard all too frequently.
So, you see, training your dog can not only keep others safe from your dog, it can keep your dog safe from others as well.

Healthy Habits

A well trained dog is not only easier to handle, he's also easier to treat. While the vet is never a visit that dogs dream of, it is crucial to the well being of your dog that they have regular visits with your favorite doc.

While we hate to admit it, some of us put of the vet like the plague because we know what it means . . . one hour of driving around with a carsick dog, fifteen minutes of trying to drag him through the door and another thirty trying to get him on the examination table.
Training your dog can make a world of difference in getting your pet the care he deserves. A well trained dog is often given a better examination than a rascally wiggler. This is not because the vet shows any preference but because, naturally, it is difficult to examine a pet while you have him in full nelson! The constant chaos can also make it difficult for you to remember any questions that you might have wanted to ask the doctor.

A Happy Owner

Did you know that your dog can pick up on your stress? It's true. Dogs pick up behavior cues from their owners. If you are stressed out, they are more likely to act out. Training your dog not only ensures that your dog is happy it ensures that you are too. It takes the stress out of the everyday leaving less time for "Bad dog!" and more time for cuddling by the fire.

So there you have it, four terrific reasons why training your dog can take your dog from stressed out mess to well behaved pooch . . . (as if you needed any reasoning past the Jimmy Choos.)