Obedience training is one of the most important aspects of raising a dog. As soon as George joined our family, I knew that I was going to make sure he was a gentleman, no matter what. I think many people, including myself, believe that training a dog is relatively easy and takes little effort. I went about 8 months before I realized I did not have all of the tools I needed, and found that Jeff from Smart Dogs Training was the only way I was going to be successful in training our new family member.

Jeff explained to me that training opens a line of communication between you and your dog. It is about the relationship you share with your dog. Our first phone conversation began with Jeff explaining that when a person describes a dog they met that they liked, they say it was a “good dog,” which really means “a well behaved, cool, smart dog.” People do not typically describe a dog by saying it was a “beautiful dog,” they describe it’s behavior, personality.

Jeff taught me that a well trained dog is by far a happier dog. Why? Because a trained dog requires fewer restrictions. The more reliable the dog, the more freedom he is given.

For example, many stores and businesses that normally won’t allow dogs on their premises will make an exception for a puppy or a dog that will heel nicely by his owner’s side, or will do a sit-stay or down-stay without hesitation. I was not able to confidently bring George shopping with me, or to a cafe, in fear that he would behave rambunctiously and get me kicked out.

Another great example is when you have company in your home, which I do often. I want everyone to feel comfortable in my home, but when there is a hyper puppy jumping all over your friends, they won’t be as comfortable as they should be when visiting. When a dog is well-behaved, there is no need to banish him to another room for fear that he will be a nuisance. Moreover, because a well-mannered, obedience-trained dog is both appreciated and welcome, he receives more attention and interaction from family members, visitors, and passers-by, than does the ill-mannered dog. A well-behaved, obedience-trained dog is a pleasure to own because he can go virtually anywhere with you, without being a risk or nuisance to others.

Don’t we all want a dog who displays great behavior in a crowd, good manners when we have guests in our home, is reliable around children, and who doesn’t annoy other dogs or passers-by?

Jeff is so knowledgable that he explained the importance of getting George trained pretty simply. Dogs are social animals. Without proper training, they will behave like animals: soil your house, destroy your belongings, bark excessively, dig holes in your yard, and the like. Nearly all behavior problems are perfectly normal canine activities that occur at the wrong time or place or are directed at the wrong thing. For example, dogs will go tot he bathroom on the carpet instead of outside; dogs will bark all night long instead of just when a stranger is prowling around outside; or dogs will chew furniture instead of his own toys.

Jeff taught me that the key to preventing or treating behavior problems is to tell and/or show the dogs what they should be doing, what is acceptable and appropriate behavior before the problem occurs. You, as the dog’s leader, needs to be be in full command. What did that mean for George? It meant showing him how to walk on the leash and not pull, showing him that he should be laying down and relaxing when he is at a cafe with me, and showing him how to behave properly when I have guests over.

Jeff was able to teach me, and George, how George will fit into my lifestyle, and not the other way around. He is an asset to my life, and not a burden, as he now knows who is “boss.” This was partly my fault, as I was not confident in being the “boss” before I met Jeff. I was doing George and myself a disservice by constantly showing George only love and affection, and not showing him what he should be doing, instead of not.

Training a dog is a work in progress, but since I have had George home, I have seen a big improvement in his behavior. He and I will continue working on our relationship, and Jeff will continue helping us along the way!

If you are interested in adding to your family, Jeff does not only train purebred puppies, he also trains dogs which are up for adoption. Jeff works with Ace of Hearts Rescue, located in Los Angeles, helping them train dogs up for adoption so they are ready to come home to their new families, with the best behavior possible.

You can contact Jeff by visiting his website here for more information on training your own dog, or even adopting a new one!