3 Major Reasons Why Dog Training Is SO Important
There are a myriad of reasons why training your dog is so important, but they really boil down to three biggies: safety, harmony, and fun
First up: Safety.
Untrained, misbehaving dogs can cause great harm without even realizing it. There was an article by PBS that came out the other day stating “From 2001 to 2020, the estimated number of adults seen at emergency departments for dog-walking injuries increased significantly, from 7,300 to 32,300 a year”. That’s just taking your dog for a walk! When dogs have a solid foundation of training, they will be less likely to follow their impulses and instead follow their owner’s guidance when out in the world. Which means less likelihood of the dog pulling their owner over causing harm.
Now for the more damaging stats. In 2023, there were 4.5 million dog bites recorded in the US according to the CDC. Fatalities from dog bites and attacks have also been on the rise since 2018. The largest percentage of victims fell into the 0-2 year old age bracket as well. Dog training isn’t just about training the dog, it’s about training the humans in the home as well. The more the human knows about dogs, the better prepared they are to keep healthy boundaries around their dogs and kids, which lowers the risk of a bite occurring.
Finally, a huge aspect of training involves making sure safeguards are in place when the human is not around to supervise the dog. Using tools like crates, baby gates, leashes, etc., all prevent dogs from getting themselves into trouble. A dog can’t get into your chocolate stash or ingest other harmful items if they are snoozing in their crate!
Second reason is to create harmony inside the home and out.
The training process includes creating rituals on how you go through your daily life. Like how the meal time ritual plays out and how to go through doorways. That way instead of jumping all over you for their dinner or bolting past you to get out into the yard, your dog will learn some patience and participate in these rituals with you instead of bowling you over. You get into a flow of life together where you can thrive in peace as opposed to simply surviving chaos.
Last but not least, it’s fun!
Training in and of itself should feel less like you demanding your dog do the things or else and more like a game! They may win or lose the game, but overall it is a great time for you to have together! Since it is a game and way to build communication, you’re also building your relationship with your dog and truly making them “man’s best friend”. The better trained your dog is, the more they get to go with you out into the world and experience more of what life has to offer instead of being stuck inside the house or their backyard.
This post just breaks the surface, but I hope it gives you the bolt of inspiration you need to take the steps onward in your training journey with your dog! Not sure where to start? We got you! If you’re the DIY type, the Basics Course is a great option! If you need more help but live far from us, we have Virtual Coaching to support you. Or if you are a local to Oxford, Michigan, that opens up our Board & Train, Day Train, and In Home Private Lesson programs! Check out www.dogseyeviewtraining.com/start to get started!
Happy Training!
-Kate Welch
Sources:
https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/72/wr/mm7236a6.htm
