If you see these 11 behaviours, your dog might need obedience training

Whether you recently adopted a pup or have loved one for a while, you might wonder if you should enrol your pet in obedience training. The easy answer for most dogs is yes – especially if they haven’t completed a basic course yet. “Any dog can use training,” says dog trainer, Nicole Ellis. “It provides mental stimulation and helps grow the bond between you and your pet.”

But while every dog can benefit from training, some need it more urgently than others. If you spot the following behaviours – which range from fear-based to boredom-based and everything in between – it’s time to enrol your dog in obedience training as soon as possible. Just a few hours of training a week could boost your dog’s confidence, challenge his brain, and help him feel more at ease in his daily life. And who doesn’t want that?

Ever reach down to throw a toy your dog loves only to have him snarl at you in return? Or get too close to his food and get a similarly scary reaction? That’s a behaviour called resource guarding, and it occurs when your dog believes he’s protecting something highly valuable, says veterinarian, Dr Alett Mekler.

Unfortunately, this behaviour could escalate if you inadvertently teach your dog that when he wants something, he can get it by showing his teeth. According to Dr Mekler, this behaviour definitely warrants a session with an obedience trainer, who can teach a command like “leave it,” then offer a reward when your dog listens. “When the cue is given, the dog knows it is worth giving up the resource because a jackpot bonus is on its way,” she says.

Excessive barking is a common behavioural issue in dogs – and it could be caused by a range of factors. “The first step is figuring out the cause,” says Ellis. “Are they protecting the house from what’s outside? Are they scared of what’s outside? Are they protecting you? Are they just vocal dogs and this is a job they’ve given themselves to do?” From there, a professional trainer can help you plan a course of action.

Ellis says the solution could be as simple as giving your dog a new job to do besides barking. For example, you could train him to go to a specific part of the house if he hears someone at the door. Or, you could teach him to play with a mentally stimulating toy during a time he would normally bark. A trainer will be able to offer solutions that work for your dog’s specific situation.

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Walking your dog should be a pleasant experience, not one plagued by pulling, chasing, or getting tangled in the leash. And while being a wild walker might seem harmless, it’s actually anything but. “Improper leash manners can lead to many dangerous scenarios, including pulling so hard that the owner falls and injures themselves or pulling so hard that the dog runs into the street,” says Dr Mekler. Instead of playing tug of war with your dog, enrol him in obedience training to help him learn how to walk on the leash safely. It’s a simple skill to learn, and it will benefit you and your pup in the long run. Using a dog harness instead of a collar-and-leash combo can also help.

There’s nothing more frustrating than realising your pup has turned your favourite pair of shoes into a chew toy. If that happens often, then obedience training – and the mental stimulation that comes with it – can help. “Often, dogs that are destroying things in the home are just bored and trying to find fun things to do,” says Ellis. Practising a new command you learned in obedience school is an easy way to alleviate boredom and give your dog an exciting alternative activity. It will also tire out your pup so he’s less likely to go on a destructive rampage as soon as you leave the room.

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If your dog has no pals at the dog park – or simply can’t be trusted around other animals without lunging, snapping, or showing some other sign of aggression – then you should see a trainer immediately. “I don’t get along with everybody and I don’t expect my dog to get along with everybody,” says Ellis, “but he can’t be mean.” While some dogs may have traumatic backgrounds that prevent them from wanting to play or engage with other animals, a trainer will be able to teach that dog to be safe and calm around other pets when they need to be (for example, when passing another dog on a walk).

Many vets expect to see an increase in cases of separation anxiety in dogs as owners begin to return to work after lockdowns. If your dog has separation anxiety, you may notice his stress levels begin to increase as soon as you start getting ready to leave (for example, when you do things like put on your shoes or pick up your keys). This behaviour could escalate to anything from chewing up the house while you’re gone to attempting to jump out a window to follow you.

“The anxiety escalates as the human gets ready to leave and after they leave,” says Dr Mekler. “It’s usually at its worst in the first 30 minutes.” A trainer can help alleviate the issue by having the owner pretend to get ready to leave without actually leaving, or by leaving to go to a different room or to the backyard for a few minutes at a time.

Your dog may be a pro at sitting or staying when you give him the command in your living room – but if all that goes out the window as soon as you leave the house, it’s meaningless. “Ignoring commands is usually due to the dog thinking they are the boss,” says veterinary technician, Sukura Davis. That mindset can lead to problems in the future, which means it’s important to get a trainer involved quickly. “Trainers will reinforce dogs to trust the owners – and with trust comes understanding and listening,” Davis says. That way, you’re never left unsuccessfully repeating commands at the dog park ever again.

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If you see signs of nervousness whenever you take your dog out of the house – for example, if he hides or puts his tail between his legs at the pet shop – enrol him in obedience training, says Ellis. A mentally stimulating class could help boost his confidence and make him feel more secure in new environments. And here’s the thing: when it comes to increasing confidence and decreasing anxiety, it doesn’t matter which commands you work on. What matters most is that your dog understands that he’s learning new skills – and that he’s getting to bond with you in the process.

Potty training can be one of the most difficult skills to teach your dog yourself – and with products like pee pads out there, the process can be even more confusing. (Imagine trying to understand that you can relieve yourself on some parts of the floor but not all of them?) Once you rule out medical causes, such as incontinence, kidney failure, dementia and urinary tract issues, it might be time to consult an obedience trainer for this problem. Whether your dog is young and needs to be potty trained or is older and needs a refresher course, a professional trainer can help you come up with a potty plan that both you and your dog understand. Of course, you need to make sure you’re giving your pup enough outdoor time.