There are many different breeds of dogs and there are certainly many different approaches to train each and every breed.
But in this article let us discuss the general idea of training, just to get a feel of it.
In training a dog, you do not only consider the tricks that you want it to learn.
You must also consider its sociability, how it deals with other dogs and children.
Also of its dominance, you want to let the dog know that you are boss.
And you can do these things without even hurting the dog...
Not even once.
At some point in your life with a dog, problems will occur and you would need to modify the behavior of your dog.
One such behavior that needs to be changed is obedience issues.
In incorporating obedience training into your dog, you should remember that you should train it while it is still a puppy.
It may solve a lot of future possible problems if you train it early.
You must also let the dog know that you are the alpha dog (pack leader).
As we all know, dogs have a pecking order, or linear hierarchy which they follow.
If your dog growls at you when you try to touch it, it means that it is dominating you and thinks of you as its subordinate.
Make it clear to the dog that it is unacceptable behavior.
But when it does something you want, praise it, or even better, and give it a doggie treat.
Be careful when you reward the dog.
Take care that it will not be too much.
Also you must be aware of what a dog perceives as positive reinforcement.
For example, your dog is barking at the mailman, and then you let it in, that is positive reinforcement gone wrong.
There are still many things to be considered when owning a dog.
But the most important of all is to treat it with respect and understanding; it does not know better...
after all, it is a dog.