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A search in your local shoppers guide or newspapers will yield dozens of ads for dog obedience schools that will help your new canine family member fit in with the other animals and people in the house. So how do you choose the one that is right for you?

Today, several methods of training dogs are used, they include calm, positive reinforcement techniques, “alpha” dominance, and cruel punishment.

There still remain many schools of thought when it comes to dog training, and a great many veteran trainers will use a specific system that suits them as well as their customers. The current trend is a move towards more of a rewards based method.

When considering the appropriate training technique, you must consider the dog. Where did you get him? How old was he when you got him? Did you rescue him, so he may have issues? What are the goals of training: pet, speed, shows, hunting, tracking, or do you plan to enter your dog into the various dog sports?

After giving thought to your dog’s personality and what you want out of training, peruse your newspaper and make a list of the local dog obedience schools. Find their contact information and visit their websites. Talk to other dog owners and ask where they have had success training their dog. Local kennel clubs and vets may also have trainer recommendations.

When reviewing trainer choices, use referrals and references for the best results. Then, attend one of your choice’s beginner classes to see his techniques. Positive methods are best. If he’s dragging a dog around by the collar, move on! Before asking for training at your home, remember that socialization skills are important for your dog, so it may be best to train elsewhere.

For socialization, it is important that puppies be put into kindergarten or playgroup program, at the earliest age possible. Although, if you have a rescue dog that is aggressive, it may be necessary to go to an animal behaviorist instead of a trainer. Aggression in dogs isn’t something to ignore!

Although there is a small percentage of dogs that will require a pinch collar for training purposes, a “Gentle Leader” head collar is often just as, if not more, effective for most dogs.

If your dog isn’t required for his first training session, don’t be shocked — it’s a good thing! Clicker training (or any positive training) needs a training session for owners so you learn to properly use the tools and to communicate effectively with your dog.

Here’s how you can tell if a training class is good:

1. The all-around atmosphere of the of the whole school will be upbeat and positive.

2. Training is founded on a reward system: a requested behavior is awarded with a goody, accolade, or anything else the dog appreciates.

3. A slight whisper or shush noise is the only thing necessary to distract the dog and get the message across that his behavior is unacceptable. There isn’t much punishment, and unwanted actions will be stopped.

4. An inappropriate behavior is usually halted by requiring a different behavior that causes the animal to alter his actions, for example, ‘lay down’ will prevent the dog from jumping on someone.

5. Training is based on patience so that the dog has sufficient opportunity to obey or display the required response.

In addition to local dog obedience schools, there are a large quantity of great books as well as quality websites dedicated to the topic of dog training. To find out more about one of the most effective animal training methods, try performing a quick online search on the term “clicker training.” This is the method Hollywood dog trainers use to train dogs to perform on television and film. Now, your dog can learn some of these fancy tricks as well.

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