Obedience training is one of the most important and most effective things any owner can do for their dog.An untrained dog can be destructive and sometimes dangerous, while a properly trained dog is a productive and happy member of the family.

Dogs are designed by nature to follow leaders, and to look for that leadership.   As pack animals, dogs naturally follow the directions of their pack leader. Without the presence of a strong leader, the dog may assume this role itself.A dog that has assumed the role of leader of their human pack can be destructive, uncooperative and at times even dangerous.

Proper obedience training opens up key lines of communication between owner and dog.The foundation of any good dog obedience training is to obtain the cooperation and respect of the dog.Gaining respect from your dog cannot be obtained through mistreatment or rough training methods.Through proper leadership and dog training methods it must be earned.

Basic obedience training consists of teaching the dog what to do and what not to do.  When it comes to desired behaviors, it is important for the dog to learn and respond to basic dog commands, such as heeling when walking, stopping on command, sitting when directed, coming when called and staying where the handler directs.

The list of what not to do is also important when it comes to obedience training.A few of the don't of dog obedience training are - not chewing the furniture or property, not getting ahead when walking, and not getting out of control when in unusual types of situations.

Essentially, obedience training involves establishing the social hierarchy that is so important to dogs as pack animals.  When your dog follows your obedience dog commands, such as – come, stay, sit, heel, etc., she or he is demonstrating submissiveness and compliance.A submissive member of a wild dog pack would demonstrate this type of behavior to the alpha dog in it's pack.

As with any type of dog training, it is important that obedience training sessions be fun and rewarding for both dog and owner.Having a healthy, happy dog can succeed in learning best, and keeping the dog happy during the training sessions will make life easier for both your dog and yourself.  Obedience training has many benefits for the dog as well as the owner.You can permit an obedient well trained dog with a greater amount of freedom than an untrained dog.  For instance, a dog that has been properly trained to come when called can safely enjoy some off leash play time at the local dog park.

There is always a debate over whether it is easier to obedience train puppies or older dogs.Both older dogs and puppies can be very successfully trained to be obedient and willing companions.  It is generally easier to train puppies and young dogs than it is to retrain dogs that have developed behavior problems.You can successfully retrain using basic obedience training and control techniques with even problem dogs.

When obedience trainingpuppies, however, it is important to remember that puppies generally have a shorter attention span than to do full grown dogs.  It is important, therefore to keep training sessions short in the beginning.It is key to introduce lots of play with other dogs, puppies and other animals including different people.  Proper socialization is very important to creating a safe, healthy and happy companion dog.