A well-trained, obedient dog is a pleasure not only for its owner, but for everyone around it — and for society as a whole.

Why bother with training?

Proper training should flow from the responsibility that comes with owning a dog, and socially it is essential. A dog can live for 10 to 17 years depending on its breed, and if it is well trained, life is far easier.

1) It is a pleasure when your dog obeys:

– No pulling on the lead! Bear in mind that a dog can accelerate to 20–40 km/h within a few metres at the end of its lead; given its weight, after a 5-metre run the pull on that lead reaches 225–495 kg (for a dog of 20 to 40 kg…). Just try holding back a weight like that…

– Commands such as ‘sit’, ‘down’ and the like are genuinely useful when you are visiting friends or at a restaurant.

– A reliable recall matters too: it is also a safeguard around wildlife.

2) People around you appreciate a well-trained dog, and above all hate being jumped on or begged at.

3) From a safety point of view, a well-trained dog is less dangerous.

Training starts at the earliest age! And it carries on every single day!!!

A dog learns from the very start, thanks to what its mother teaches it — which is why selecting for temperament in breeding, and the breeder’s role, matter so much.

Training absolutely must continue as the puppy grows, and it takes constant work. A learned behaviour always needs refreshing, or it fades!

From birth to around three months, we speak of primary socialisation. During this period, the puppy is exposed to a variety of stimuli to prevent the fears and other troubles that might otherwise appear later on.

The real pecking order sets in from three to four months of age, and it is worth knowing that, in dogs too, puberty is a difficult stage to get through.

A few habits to get into so as not to let your dog take charge:

Feed your dog after the family eats, or two hours before. Never just beforehand.
It has its own particular place to sleep. Not on the bed, not on the sofa.
On a walk, the owner chooses the route, not the dog. Make the most of the walk to build a rapport with your dog.
Your dog owes respect to you and to the whole family. This works both ways too, so teach children to respect the dog.
You are the one who takes the initiative for cuddles or play.
Training takes regular work, and professional help can ease the way, even if this is not your first dog. Puppy play classes are very important too, for the puppy’s healthy development.

Beware of anthropomorphism…!!! We always tend to attribute to a dog emotions or reactions that are ‘only’ human, things a dog simply does not know in its own language!

On the whole, we are always too soft… we lack firmness, though we should never become rough for all that. A dog needs clear reference points to know where its limits lie. Commands must therefore be precise, and mixed messages avoided (for example, one partner saying one thing and the other the opposite).

The minimum training to aim for:

A well-trained dog, without being a working dog:

  • does not jump up at people
  • does not scratch with its paws
  • comes back when called
  • obeys the ‘down’ command, or settles quietly when told
  • walks on the lead without pulling, or to heel off the lead
  • does not bite
  • is not a danger to others…!