Your pet can literally be your best friend. Think about it: A friend is reliable, nice to you, trustworthy, helpful and a lot of fun. All of these attributes describe a good pet as well. You need to show your pet that you appreciate him or her by making sure you provide the proper care. The kind of care you provide will help determine your relationship with your pet as well as the pet’s future. This is particularly true when it comes to the pet’s physical health. Giving your pet the right kinds of food and water are going to make a big difference in both how your pet lives and how he or she feels about you as an owner. But just as important is taking care of the mental wellbeing of your pet. Domesticated animals in particular are in need of socialization in order to live the happiest life possible. Making sure you take care of these needs as well is going to give your pet a more healthy, satisfied existence. One thing some people fail to recognize is the value of basic obedience when it comes to dog training. Dog behavior is largely a factor of the interaction between the dog and his or her human friend. Basic obedience skills are going to help your dog live a better existence and make you happier as well. Below are some tips to help you get the most out of your dog’s training.

Decide What Kind of Skills Your Dog Should Have

Dogs are useful for many things in addition to being great companions. They have keen instincts and even keener senses that can be used to help make your life easier, safer, or more fun. The best thing is that if the skills are taught well and used with care and respect, the dog will actually enjoy using them. Dogs like interacting with their human friends in a productive manner. Showing your dog appreciation as he or she learns a new skill is a great way to strengthen your bond with your dog and also make the dog feel better. But to do this, you have to ascertain exactly which skills you want your dog to have. Some of the basic skills may be the ability to not bark at the wrong times—or at all. This skill is certainly convenient for the human, but its value is debatable for the dog. Some people feel dogs are made to bark, and teaching them not to do so is going to hinder their happiness. However, this is not the case. Dogs don’t depend on barking to feel good. They only want food, water, companionship and activity in a caring environment. So feel free to teach your dog to stop barking. There are other skills you may want to have your dog trained to develop.

The ability to respond to your call, even if there is no leash, is a great skill to teach your dog. Many dogs, like their human counterparts, love to be free. This may mean that they wander off and go exploring for days at a time. However, if your dog is able to respond to your call, then you will have the option of calling your dog back as long as it’s within earshot. You also may want to incorporate the basic obedience skill of having your dog bark at some things but not others. For example, you may want your dog to bark at intruders and strangers but not at passing cars. This can also be trained in your dog. Basic obedience often involves the control of the barking habit. Excessive barking can also result in fines, so it is highly recommended that you seek Raleigh dog training in order to give your dog this skill.

Get the Right People for the Job of Training

Training your dog doesn’t have to be something you spend many hours trying to do on your own. Some people feel that if they don’t participate in the training process 100%, then the dog is not going to respond to their commands. This is not true. If your dog is trained by the right professional, he or she will respond to your commands and still develop a healthy relationship with you.