by Scott Fitzgerald

Dog training is important for all breeds of dogs. Dog training is more than just telling your dog to stop what ever they are doing, it is a systematic process of teaching a dog to do specific behaviors in certain circumstances. Good dog training is not a "quick fix" - it is an ongoing, life-long relationship with your dog. Training of your dog is important because in today's society, many people take their dogs every where they go and they must behave.

Remember that all dog training is not the same. Positive reinforcement dog training is now becoming the preferred method of dog training. This method of training is important for every young dog. It is much harder to train an older dog, but, not impossible. An older dog requires much more patience than a younger dog.

Dog training is more than just training your dog, it involves teaching the owner also. As both of you go through dog training, a special bond is developed between the two of you. Dog training is like going back to school again. Training is all about communication between the two of you, and you need to learn to communicate with your dog. I leaned through this type of training with my own dog on how to communicate in an effective way with my dog.

The fist step in obedience training is to teach your dog to sit on command. Training your dog to "sit" is probably the first thing you will train your dog to do. To begin the training: say "sit" while gently pressing her rear-end down and holding a special treat above your dog's head. When a dog is forced to look upward, they will automatically sit on his hind legs.

When you want your dog to sit, hold a treat a bit above her head and say "sit". As the dog sits, say "sit" two more times and then give him their special treat. Your dog will not hesitate to drop into a 'sit' position in order to get their special treat.

One of my favorite commands to teach my dogs is "Go Fetch". Teaching your dog to fetch promotes a special bonding and is a great way to give your dog some exercise. To do this, first throw a small ball (a small distance at first), and give the command "Fetch". As he or she begins to start toward it, yell "Go Fetch" again. Instead of a ball, you could use your dogs favorite object, as this makes them want  to fetch it. Remember, do not play fetch with heavy items or pointed sticks. This could injure the the dog's teeth or hurt the dog's gums. If an animal gets hurt doing something, it will create a negative thought in their mind, then, it will be harder to train them.

A well trained dog should will always remain where his or her owner commands, so the command "stay" is an important command in dog training also. Since it is more involved, that will be covered in the next article.

The basic foundation of dog training is to get your dog to sit, stay and fetch. As I said before, proper dog training is not a "quick fix": it is an ongoing relationship with your dog, Dog training is important physical activity, so be prepared to spend some quality time with your dog. Also, remember that dog training can result in injurys, either, especially with some of the aggressive breeds of dogs.

Dog training is import for all dogs. One major mistake many pet owners make is to assume that the dog training is over. Dog training is a relationship with your dog and continues throughout your dog's life. It's all about the relationship and communication.

Dog training is definitely not rocket science and is easier than you think, especially if you can get help from a good dog training guide, book or Obedience Training".

Scott Fitzgerald is a renowned writer and author of various publications. He has written multiple articles regarding the training of animals. He is the proud owner of "Beauty" who he used these commands with to build a relationship with her. If you have any questions, Scott can be reached at scott@www.iaqebooks.com.