Obedience Training and Your Dog

Forget the old wise tail about some dogs being slow when learning obedience; most dogs are not "slow." They can learn to follow directions, perform tricks like sit, stay, and fetch, and even work at jobs, just like people. Unfortunately, they do not learn these things alone. They need your help, guidance, and patience to be successful.
Like humans, dogs have families. For dogs, these families are called packs. In a pack there is always one leader and several followers. The leader is the dog who makes the rules and watches out for others in the pack. When a dog lives in your house, your family becomes his family, or 'pack'.
It is important that you let your dog know who the leader is. If he doesn't know, he will try to become the leader. It's an instinct he's born with it to try to be a leader. When this happens, a dog may be pushy and not follow the rules. By teaching the dog obedience and giving him things to do, he will realize that a human is the leader and he will follow, instead of lead.
Training your dog is a good thing. It helps you to bond become closer with your dog. The more you train him, the more he will understand you. And the more you work and play with your dog, the more you will understand him.
In the past, dogs were bred to perform specific jobs like herd sheep, find rodents, hunt birds and mammals, and work with firemen and policemen. But now, many dogs are left with nothing to do all day long. They can become bored and lonely. When that happens, they might chew, dig, or bark too much. Or they might sleep all day, which isn't healthy. Taking your dog to classes, or teaching him yourself gives him something to do and helps build his confidence...and yours, too.
Another reason why obedience training is a good thing to do with your dog is that it's fun. Yes, fun! You get to take your dog out in public and meet other dogs and new friends. You both get some exercise and you can learn tricks and other things that are fun to show to your friends. When teaching your dog obedience don't forget the most. ( by Jack Munday )