Four Types Of Dog Training Programs You Should Consider For Your Dog

Having your dog attend a dog training program is something that every dog owner should consider. However, there are various types of training programs that your dog can undergo. For most people training a dog usually involves teaching it a few tricks, such as sitting, rolling over, fetching, and playing dead.

However, some dog training programs go a bit deeper than that to improve the dog's performance and obedience and even equip your dog with unique skills. If you are considering enlisting your dog in a training program, here are four types of dog training programs you should consider.  

Behavioral Training Programs

This type of dog training program focuses on teaching the dog to behave appropriately around the house and when it is around people or other pets. This type of training is often recommended for young dogs just beginning to mature out of the puppy phase.

In most cases, dog owners let puppies get away with bad behavior because they are not mature enough to understand what is and isn't acceptable behavior. Thus, when they begin to grow, it can often be challenging for dog owners to effectively correct their dogs' behavior.  Thus, when puppies start to mature, it is advisable to take them to a behavioral dog training program to get training.

Obedience Training

This type of dog training program focuses on teaching dogs how to follow the commands of their owners. In most cases, obedience training gets carried out immediately after behavioral training. However, sometimes it may be necessary to take your dog for obedience training when you realize that the dog doesn't listen to your commands.

For instance, people who adopt rescue dogs from dog shelters often find it challenging to earn their dogs' respect. As a result, when a dog doesn't respect you, it will not follow any of your commands. Thus, obedience training is meant to implement respect and obedience in dogs by teaching them how to follow the directions and commands provided by their owners. However, obedience training also helps solidify the relationship between you and your dog because the dog learns to respect you.

Agility Training

If you want to participate in a dog show or competitive dog sports event, you need to enlist your dog in an agility training program. Agility training is aimed at teaching the dog various tricks and improving its nimbleness for better performance.  

The training usually involves taking the dog through several obstacles designed to challenge its mental and physical capabilities. The obstacles courses include hurdles, hoops, tunnels, etc. However, additional training may include racing.

As far as mental challenges are concerned, the dog gets trained to follow instructions through gestures and voice commands. The reason for this is because, during most competitions, handlers are not allowed to treat or touch their dogs during the competition. Thus, the dog will have to learn to operate independently following your instruction.

Vocational Training

Vocational dog training programs are geared at providing dogs with specific skills that their owners may need. Examples of such skills may include herding, hunting, assisting disabled persons, or search and rescue. These skills are considered vocational because once the dog completes training, it will have a professional job helping out its owner. Thus, during the vocational training, the dog will learn how to make maximum use of their senses and communicate with their owners.

Communication training is often emphasized in vocational training because a guide dog needs to communicate hazards to a blind owner while on a stroll. If a blind person wants to cross the road, the guide dog should assess the oncoming traffic and inform the individual whether it is safe to cross the street or wait.

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