My Near Perfect Dog - The Educated Dog
The article below perfectly describes the goal of The Near Perfect Dog. Check out their website for more awesome information!
An educated dog is a healthier, happier dog. By training your dog, you will not only strengthen the bond between you and your dog, but build their confidence and reduce any anxiety your dog may be feeling.
An Educated Dog:
Allows you to handle every part of his body; to check for injury or illness and/or to give him medication.
Has good manners, so he can spend most of his time indoors with his people, which means more supervision, less boredom, and fewer opportunities for mischief. The more time you spend with your dog, the more likely you will be to notice when something is wrong with him, such as a limp, a cough, a sensitive area, or loss of appetite. By recognizing such irregularities early, you can seek medical attention immediately and, hopefully, prevent more serious problems.
Wants to stay near you which means he will have less opportunity to get into trouble.
Will walk or run beside you on a leash without pulling, dragging, or strangling, so you and your dog can get more exercise and spend more time together.
Knows that “drop it” and “leave it” are phrases that mean business, so he will have fewer opportunities to swallow dangerous objects. He also can be taught what things and places are out of bounds, like hot stoves, heaters, or anxious cats. However, you will still need to limit his access to dangerous places when you cannot supervise or instruct him.
Will “sit” immediately. No matter what danger may be imminent, a dog that is suddenly still is suddenly safe. And a dog that will “stay” in that position is even safer.
Understands his boundaries, knows what’s expected of him and has few anxieties. Less stress means a healthier dog.
By training your dog, you can help prevent tragedy and develop a better relationship with him. Keep in mind, however, that even an educated dog needs supervision, instruction and boundaries – sometimes even physical boundaries. Allowing your dog, no matter how educated he may be, to walk, run, roam outside of a fenced area, or off a leash, is putting him in danger.
