I have many clients who call me in distress and tell me that their dog is “out-of-control,” “unruly,” or just plain “disobedient.” As valid as their concerns are, I will always ask: in what specific situations or circumstances is your dog unruly and out-of-control, or in what specific way is your dog being disobedient? 

Does your dog destroy your furniture while you are away? Does he run amok in the home and bowl people over? Does he bounce off guests as they enter the door? Does he bark excessively? Does he counter surf at every opportunity? Does he ignore you when you call him? Is he unable to respond because he is a wiggly, overly energetic pup with a very short attention span?

Be specific and detailed; jot down notes about areas of concern. Once you understand your dog’s specific issues, you can decide upon appropriate replacement behaviors (calm greetings with paws on the floor, a quick response to your recall cue, a dog that is able to respond to you regardless of distractions).

Now that you have defined your training objectives, you must decide whether your dog requires in-home training or a group class. Private training in your home is the only practical and effective way to address most behavioral concerns. Dogs are “situational” learners, so issues like potty training, separation anxiety, fear aggression, destructive chewing/digging, and difficult interactions or aggression with family members, (often kids and other pets), need to be addressed at home.

Private training is also best for distractible pups or for those that cannot yet attend group class due to vaccination/age requirements. In the vast majority of cases, the earlier you start training your puppy, the better! Training as early as eight weeks of age will prevent problem behaviors from occurring or becoming difficult to modify.

On the other hand, if your dog is able to focus around distractions (people and other dogs), is vaccinated, and only requires basic obedience (“sit,” “down,” “come,” etc.), a small group class with friendly dogs might be just the ticket.

In short, clearly define your training objectives, and decide upon the best training environment for your dog before starting any training program. Help your dog by setting him up to succeed!

For more helpful training tips, check out my facebook page at Wonder Dog Training!