An Educated dog

When you feel frustrated with your dog’s behaviour, remember that someone must teach a dog what is acceptable behaviour and what is not. A dog that has not been given any instructions, training or boundaries can’t possibly know what you expect of them. By teaching your dog how you want them to behave, you will not only have a saner household, but a healthier and happier dog as well.

An Educated Dog:

Allows you to handle every part of their body, to check for injury or illness and to give them
medication.

Has good manners, so they can spend most of their time indoors with their people, which means more supervision, less boredom and fewer opportunities for mischief. The more time you spend with your dog, the more likely you will be to notice when something is wrong with them, such as a limp, a cough, a sensitive area or loss of appetite. By recognizing such irregularities early, you can seek medical attention immediately and, hopefully, prevent more serious problems.

Wants to stay near you, listening for instructions (and praise). This means they will have less
opportunity to get into trouble.

Will walk or run beside you on a leash without pulling, dragging or strangling, so you and your
dog can get more exercise and spend more time together.

Knows that “drop it” and “leave it alone” are phrases that mean business, so they will have
fewer opportunities to swallow dangerous objects. They also can be taught what things and
places are out of bounds, like hot stoves, heaters or anxious cats. However, you will still need to
limit their access to dangerous places when you cannot supervise or instruct them.

Will “sit” immediately, simply because you say so. No matter what danger may be imminent, a
dog that is suddenly still is suddenly safe. And a dog that will “stay” in that position is even
safer.

Understands their boundaries, knows what’s expected of them and has few anxieties. Less stress means a healthier dog. By training your dog, you can help prevent tragedy and develop a better relationship with them. Keep in mind, however, that even an educated dog needs supervision, instruction and boundaries – sometimes even physical boundaries. Allowing your dog, no matter how educated they may be, to walk, run or roam outside of a fenced area or off of a leash, is putting them in danger.