Dog Training: Why And How

37 years ago A dog can be a farmer’s best friend. It can be trained to herd livestock, be a formidable watchdog and protect your family. But all dogs need careful and consistent training to reach these goals.

- 

“Have you ever watched a police dog display and thought: ‘I wish my dog could do that’? Or have you vainly attempted to recall the family pet as it disappeared over the rise in pursuit of a cat? In the first case, much of what the police dog has been taught can be assimilated by your dog, and likewise, your dog can be trained to return, whatever the provocation, upon your command.

“The vital aspect is the training the dog has received. If it has been thorough, your dog – within its personal limitations – can do as much as the dog on the field. If the training has been in name only, you can take it you will continue gritting your teeth at your pet’s lack of obedience. If the latter is the case, accept right now that it is not the dog’s fault: in the absence of any clear lead from you, it has gone its own way.