Training Early is Crucial 

Raise the Bar Dog Training believes that training should start early, but this isn’t just in the case of puppy training. We believe that it’s important to start training early in all cases: early on when a dog is a puppy, early on when a dog begins living in a new home environment, they should be trained early when parents are expecting a new baby at home, and in all other cases where a dog is transitioning in their living situation.

Raise the Bar Dog Training offers in-home training for puppies and adult dogs, regularly holds our Practical Pet Protocol basic obedience group classes, and we have a Cribs to Canines class that prepares parents and their pooch for their new life with a baby.

It’s important to start training early. This seems like a simple enough concept, however most dog owners don’t consider this until it’s too late. Of course your new puppy is cute, and just like a newborn they can’t really be held accountable for not knowing what is expected of them in this big new world they’ve come in to. It’s our job to show the dog what’s expected of them early, to provide them structure, to teach them about boundaries and respecting people and other dogs. In the case of older dogs transitioning into new situations, they need to know the same things. A dog needs leadership; otherwise it will only be a matter of time before they “misbehave”—even though they don’t know what that means yet.

Training early lets the dog develop good habits before the unacceptable ones have a chance to surface. If new bad behavior surfaces in the course of their growth and education, it can be addressed more easily and erased from their repertoire before taking hold as a habit. Starting training early minimizes the shock of behavioral modification. Imagine going through a daily routine for years and years and then someone comes along and says “no, do it this way.” It would be stressful, uncomfortable, and difficult to say the least. That’s why it’s best to not allow a dog to continue in their behavior, not matter how old they are, to simplify their lives and ours.

We’d like to hear from you. You can call us at 800.649.7297 or email us using our contact form. Don’t let the bad behaviors turn into bad habits. Let’s start off on the right foot, and you and your dog will be living a happy and harmonious life in no time.