There are many articles on how to train a dog for home protection but not much on training for a basic house pet. I have had many dogs through the years. I even once showed a bull terrier for several years but would not care to ever do that again due to the politics of the dog show world. I had hired a dog trainer to help me and she informed me that she was not training my dog but training me. It would do no good for the dog to listen to her and not me. The skills I learned are portable from dog to dog so it was a worthwhile investment. Some pet stores offer puppy training classes also if you need some help.
All dogs can be protective in nature. Some breeds make a much better guard dog but your average family wants a well-behaved house pet that will not maul visitors but will discourage break-ins and get between you and your kids and some thug. The dog doesn’t have to be huge or any particular breed to be a great house companion and protector. It’s instinctive behavior. Our Jack Russell terror (not Terrier) is proof of this. She is 13 lbs and fearless and even scares us sometimes!Continue reading“Training Your Puppy, by Hollyberry”