Teaching your dog to obey commands is a fundamental necessity for any new owner. Dog ownership is a serious business and should not be taken lightly. Before you take the huge step of making a fun loving animal a part of your life you need to give it some serious thought. Don't forget when you take on a dog you take on a dog for life. But let us assume that you have been through that stage and still want a new member of the family.

How will you be teaching your dog to obey even the simplest of commands ? There are several ways that this can be achieved .

There are many publications and videos available that will teach you, the owner, how to teach your new companion.

Many local pet stores run training and obedience courses.

A private trainer could be used.

Whether your new companion is a puppy or an adult dog it needs to become familiar with you, it's new owner. In general a dog is loyal to only one master. It can only cause confusion if he is taught by more than one member of the family. That is not saying that he will be unruly with all the other family members, he will not, for when you are teaching your dog to obey you it is instilling a sense of discipline which will determine his demeanor with the whole of the family. You will be teaching him direction and boundaries and through repetition he will understand what is allowed and what is not allowed.

One basic rule to remember when teaching your dog to obey your commands is that it is done in a friendly and playful manner as no dog responds to an aggressive or demanding style of teaching. Keep your training sessions short and always have fun. Carry doggie treats as reward for even the smallest task completed or attempted. When teaching your dog to obey never use violence, train your dog with trust and respect, If you feel the dog is not responding cut the training session short and try again tomorrow. Never judge your success in teaching your dog to obey you in days, it is a fact that some dogs are smarter than others, quite like humans, where one dog will train in a short time others could take twice as long. Do not be discouraged if you seem to be making very little progress, you would be well advised to keep a journal from day one so that in times of frustration you can look back and see the actual success that you have achieved.

Be flexible, patient and always fair. Your dog doesn't just automatically know the right things to do. It's all new to him and he is bound to have the odd slip up and mistake along the way. Dismiss these mistakes and just move on and do your best to prevent them in the future. Enjoy this fantastic time in your dogs life. When teaching your dog to obey you is the time where you will lay the foundation for your life of pleasure together. It's also where you will develop, build and strengthen the special bond you will share with your dog for life.