If you are adopting a puppy, obedience training is 100% necessary. 1000% necessary. Puppies do not come ready-made & they require a lot of dedication & hard work to help them grow into good canine citizens.  If you don't have the time to train a puppy or cannot afford the training classes, do not adopt a puppy. Just as a child needs a responsible parent; an athletic team needs a coach; your puppy needs a leader (you) to provide guidance & training.

If you do not take up the role of leader, your dog will; and you will end up with an unruly, disobedient, out of control, often aggressive monster of a dog. Most of these dogs end up living a life of isolation in the back yard because no one can deal with it. They end up at the shelter because the owner can't live with the dog anymore.  DON'T LET THIS HAPPEN TO YOU AND YOUR DOG!  It's up to you to prevent it by providing the proper guidance & training beginning early in the puppy's life. Your dog depends on you, don't let him/her down!  If you can't do it, don't adopt a puppy.

Training comes in many different forms, and it's important to get the right trainer for your dog based on his or her needs.  Some do well with the local parks & recreation training classes, others need more formal training & behavior modification.  The key to success is finding out what your dog needs early on & implementing a training/behavior modification routine that is consistent & effective.

Some trainers/behaviorists we highly recommend:
click on each logo for more information
 

Get in shape while training your dog!