Dog Training for a Lifetime of Togetherness

There is one way to make your dog happier: Train him well.

How many of us have watched Cesar Millan on his show “Dog Whisperer” walk a pack of perfectly behaved dogs down the sidewalk — only to watch our own dog happily rip up a roll of paper towels? The lack of time invested in training isn’t just affecting you — it’s affecting your beloved pet, too.

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A trained dog requires fewer restrictions and enjoys more freedom. Training strengthens the bond between a dog and his owner and builds respect, too. Your dog will be more responsive, and you will be able to have immediate control over his behavior in any emergency situation.

“Good training can ultimately save the lives of many dogs,” said the Midwestern Animal Rescue group on its website. “Far fewer dogs would end up in animal shelters/rescues if their owners would simply take the time to train them. Without proper training, many dogs are likely to misbehave and when owners allow their dogs to misbehave, everyone suffers.”

“Most of the aggression that happens with dogs is out of fear,” said Brian Kilcommons, a dog training expert and author, on “The Laura Ingraham Show” on Friday. So if that’s the case with a dog, training “is about building the dog’s confidence. And half the dogs in America think their names are ‘No.’ Because that’s what they hear most of the time.” He stressed the need for positive, consistent, dedicated training.

Kilcommons, who runs the greatpets.com website, shared a number of other smart dog training tips during an interview on “The Laura Ingraham Show,” including, “When you retrain a dog and you pull on the leash, it alerts the dog — and many times it puts the dog into a ‘flight or fight’ mode.” So if the animal can’t run because you’re pulling on his leash, the animal resorts to the only other behavior available to him.

Not showing the dog boundaries, correct behavior or proper expectations is cruel and unfair to the dog, according to Sit Means Sit Dog Training in Madison, Wisconsin. “Most submissive and aggressive dogs I have met are largely that way because of a lack of structure in the dog’s life,” said trainer Mike Wheeler on the company’s website. “The dog will think you don’t know how to lead and will need to try and figure it out himself in this human and confusing world.”

“I took my hound dog, when he was a puppy, to a six-week training class, and we were very faithful about it — we went every week, and we practiced at home,” said one Boston-area dog owner. “It helped him to build self-control by having to ‘stay,’ and develop his smarts by doing tricks like ‘shake hands.’ To this day, at age 11, he is a well-behaved and calm dog, and has lived a good life thanks to a six-week investment of time and energy.”

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A well-behaved dog can go more places and experience more with his family. Today, many hotels are pet-friendly, dog parks are in almost every community, and some shops and malls even allow dogs on leashes. If Fido doesn’t know how to behave, he has to stay home.

Each dog is different, with different capabilities and temperaments. “There is no one right way for your dog to behave, and there is no one right way to be a dog owner,” says Midwestanialrescue.org. “You should not have to feel embarrassed or ashamed of your dog — you should be able to feel proud because you see where you have chosen to put in effort, and how that effort has paid off for both you and your dog.”

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Here are some things to remember when training your dog:

1.) It’s a family affair. “In order for a dog to understand what is expected in his daily family interactions, each person he lives with must be on the same page,” notes the American Kennel Club on its website. “Everyone should use the same cues and techniques for training. If one person says ‘sit’ and another says ‘sit down!’ it will take a long time, if it ever happens, for Ginger [the dog] to learn what you want her to do.”

2.) Stay positive in your efforts. “Training that relies on punishment has been shown to increase aggression and fear in dogs,” notes Vetstreet.com. “The risk is further heightened when [children are the ones] doling out the punishment, putting them in danger of being bitten and giving the dog a lasting dislike of children. It is crucial, therefore, that you have a coherent philosophy for all family members. Children will do whatever they see their parents do, even if they’ve been instructed not to.”

3.) Always listen to your dog. “If your dog appears to be uncomfortable meeting another dog, animal or person, don’t insist that he say hello,” advises Petfinder.com. “He’s telling you that he isn’t comfortable for a reason, and you should respect that. Forcing the issue can often result in bigger problems down the line.”

“A great motivator is usually a combination of a small food treat and enthusiastic praise.”

There are many options for training a dog or puppy. National companies like Petco and Petsmart offer training packages, and there are a myriad of private businesses that can tailor a training program to your specific needs and schedule.

There are books and magazines available, and even YouTube videos that teach you how to train your four-legged friend.

And don’t forget the rewards when your dog makes the grade.

“A great motivator is usually a combination of a small food treat — especially if you train before mealtime — and enthusiastic praise,” says Dogtime.com. “Don’t worry that you’ll wind up with a dog who’ll only work for food. Once your dog gets the idea of what you’re asking him to do, you’ll begin rewarding him sporadically, and eventually you can phase out the treats entirely.”