You have a number of considerations before starting to choose a trainer. First, do you really need training for your dog? The level to which your dog is trained is a personal decision. Many people do not want a pet that stays constantly by their side, sitting when they sit and only doing something when commanded.



In some cases, experienced dog owners might know enough about training to be able to train their dogs by themselves. If you decide to train your dog on your own, remember, it is not always an easy process. The first thing you need is lots of patience. One of the biggest strains on your patience is time, or lack of it. If you do not give yourself enough time to train your dog, you add a major obstacle to training your dog as quickly and easily as possible ? and that tries your patience. Whether you train a puppy or and older dog, there's a good chance they will not respond to your instructions as quickly as you would like. For many dog owners, it is not so much about time, but about making training their dog a high enough priority in their lives. In other words, dog owners who are more motivated to train their dogs are more likely to get it done with fewer problems.

Training puppies requires some different techniques than training older dogs. It's always a good idea to start dog training as soon as possible, but if you don't use some tried and true methods, you might make it more difficult for your puppy to learn, both now and later on. As with all dog training, positive reinforcement works with puppies too. Making sure they know that what they have just done is what is expected of them is the basis of any good puppy training. One technique, which helps puppies learn about positive reinforcement, gives them confidence and is fun for them, is to set up a task that is easy for them to do. For instance, if they have a favourite toy and they are always running after it, use that to start ?fetch? training. They will run after the toy anyway, so they will do as you say. This method also keeps puppies interested and creates opportunities for slipping in other training at the same time. Remember that your puppy has a short attention span, so you should keep training sessions to 5 or 10 minute sessions with breaks of a similar length in between.

Whether you are training puppies or older dogs, you need to make sure they know who is boss. Dogs are pack animals and they look at you and your family as their pack. Every dog pack has a hierarchy, with the leader, or alpha dog, at the top. If it is not clear to your dog that there is a leader of the pack, that you are the alpha dog, it is in the dog's nature to try to become leader. Remember, dogs don't look at you as a human and themselves as a dog, but more like you are both the same, in the same pack. If dogs get too much of their own way and owners do not establish themselves as pack leaders, then dogs might begin to think of themselves as leader of the pack. Imagine how difficult dog training would be if you tried to get your dog to do something, but they feel they are the boss.

While it's possible, especially for very experienced dog owners, do-it-yourself dog training is not as easy as teaching ?sit? and ?fetch?. Although more experienced dog owners can have more success in training dogs themselves, many of them also understand the importance of training their dogs properly, like only a professional can. That's why there are so many ads for dog training in Toronto on the web and in the newspapers.

The dog and puppy training experts at Alpha Paws offer dog training in Toronto and the GTA.