Ninety-eight percent of my clients wish to have the ideal family dog. Training dogs to be family dogs is what we specialize in at Perfect Manners and it's much more complicated then you think.

We tend to think of dogs in terms of an imaginary Norman Rockwell painting in our head. We imagine the mother, father, children and dog(s) are all interacting in a continuous mix of happiness, love and perpetual bliss. Unfortunately without concerted effort, this can indeed be an imaginary scenario that quickly becomes a living nightmare.

Dogs jump up with muddy paws, destroy precious and expensive belongings, urinate on carpets, beg, bark excessively and bite. These can all be rather nasty behaviors that happen if the dog is left to their own devices. What we envision as a "family dog" doesn't engage in these behaviors but good doggie manners is something that rarely occurs by accident. The dog has to be trained as to what is acceptable behavior.

People will often see me with my trained dog and ask me what breed my dog is. They will then generally exclaim that their dog won't lay quietly outside while they sip coffee inside at Starbucks.  Normally, they then just sigh and say something like, "I wish I had gotten that breed dog".

NEWS FLASH......it's not the breed. You have to train your dog.

Where professional assistance can be of benefit is that a true professional has encountered enough bad dog behavior in their career that they can not only correct existing problems but prevent future problems with your dog. As an example, the number one reason people call me is to help with dog potty problems. However, it is almost inevitable that when I arrive at the home I learn that the dog is also pulling when walking, jumping on guests and even growling menacingly at the children. A good family dog not only does not soil the carpet but does not engage in these other behaviors also. In fact, it is often surprising to many people that dogs don't normally pull their owners down the street when walking or jump on guests or chew up furniture. And to me that is a shame.

Dog ownership is indeed a joy if done responsibly. I like to think of it as an investment. Normally, with the owners support, we can train any dog all the basic commands plus positive lifestyle behaviors in four individual sessions. We would pace the sessions over the course of about 4 months depending upon the native learning ability and temperament of the dog.  In training a family dog, the professional trainer will evaluate the family as much as the dog. Will the dog be left alone for long periods during the day? Are there small children that would benefit from having a four-legged best friend that they can run and romp with? Are the owners elderly and wish a loving companion that is content to lay quietly with them on the coach as they read a book? In other words to train a family dog means considering the particular family environment rather than simply teaching sit, down and stay.

Dogs can be trained to guard, to attack, pull heavy loads, herd sheep, sniff bombs and numerous wondrous tasks. But do not think that training is not required to successfully perform the seemingly mundane task of living in harmony with a human family. Being a dog lover I often urge people to have a dog. Yet I always add with great emphasis to be sure and have the dog trained.

Sandy Finley

Perfect Manners Dog Training

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