Function

• A dog does not have to go to school to be trained for obedience--many dogs are perfectly obedient and well trained by their owners in normal, daily life. However, some dogs benefit from training around other dogs and people. Dogs who are either fearful or reactive towards other dogs and people gain confidence and manners learning to work in a group situation, and excitable dogs can learn to calm down. For an owner planning on entering his dog into obedience competition, at least some of the training should take place in a group situation because this gets the dog used to "real life" competition. An owner who is having serious problems with his dog, like aggression or dominance, may find it easier to turn the dog over to a qualified training school for remedial training. In that case, the owner will also need instruction on how to continue working with the dog at home; in both cases the owner is "trained to train" the dog.
  
  

Types

• Decide what training philosophy makes the most sense for you and your dog. There are two main approaches, although most trainers fall somewhere in the middle of the continuum and the best training schools customize the best approach for the dog. On one extreme are "old style" trainers who use correction collars and compulsion to train the dog. They give verbal praise and petting, but do not believe in using treats during training. They would rather develop a relationship with the dog based on respect and the dog's willingness to work and please the owner or trainer. On the other extreme are "purely positive" trainers who train almost exclusively giving food rewards on the theory that dogs should be rewarded, or paid, for correct behavior and that if rewarded often enough, the dog will voluntarily make the correct choice. These trainers use no correction collars and no compulsion in training. Both schools of thought have their merits and drawbacks, and the best training schools encourage a wide range of approaches.
  
  

Considerations

• Most dogs and their owners benefit more from attending group classes at a reputable dog obedience school. For training your dog to obey basic commands and be a good canine citizen, look for classes tailored for the family pet instead of classes for obedience competition, which will have a very different emphasis. If possible, attend a class to watch. A good head trainer will spend time with individual dogs and will answer questions. The dogs should be working happily, and both dogs and owners should be having fun while learning. Dogs with more serious problems that the owner isn't equipped to deal with, may benefit from training and behavior modification by a qualified trainer, either staying at the obedience school in-house or being dropped off for lessons. In this case, the owner also needs instructions on interacting and managing the dog.
  
  

Benefits

• Obedient dogs are happier with happier owners. Untrained dogs are much more likely to be left at shelters or given away, or left in the back yard. Well trained dogs participate in family activities, are better pets and better protectors of the home.
  
  

Warning

• Research carefully if you are handing a dog over to someone else to train, because there are many unscrupulous trainers out there who may charge a lot of money and use harsh, or simply ineffective, methods in training your dog. While belonging to a professional organization is not a guarantee of quality, it is certainly an indicator. Look for trainers who belong to the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT) or the National Association of Dog Obedience Instructors ( NADOI), among others.