I have seen many bad news articles in the papers and on social media lately about dogs attacking people, eating poison and even killing people.

I bet you are thinking, wow! How do dogs get that bad? Well, it’s because people get dogs for whatever reason, put them in their yards and that’s that. I think dogs are wasted just sitting in the yard all day.

READ How to choose a guard dog for your farm

There is so much potential in most dog breeds, and by letting them waste away in a yard is cruel.

Dogs are intelligent animals and should be continuously exposed to exciting and interesting events, even if this is just a walk around the farm or a swim in the dam.

When this doesn’t happen, people often come up with some excuse like, ‘Oh, I get home late from work’, ‘I’m too tired’, ‘My dog is badly behaved on walk’, and so on.

The fact is the more time you spend with your dog, the better behaved and responsive it will become.

If you can’t make time for your dog, don’t get one. I know I’m probably preaching to the converted and the people who really need to see this never will.

Why get your dog trained?

Here are a few reasons to get your dog trained:

• People get mauled and killed by dogs regularly.
• Farmers’ lives are saved regularly by their dogs.
• A well-trained dog is a loyal, faithful and good companion, as well as an asset on a farm.
  I know of many dogs who have saved their owners’ lives from assailants.

Apart from this, just the fact that my dogs are well trained and everyone knows it, has probably saved me more times than I know from being a target.

But where can I get my dog trained, you might be asking, or you might think your dog is too old now to be trained.

All dogs can be trained, from as young as eight weeks to as old as 10 years and more, so never think your dog can’t be trained.

READ Start training as soon as you get your puppy!

As to where to get your dog trained, a quick Google search for ‘dog trainers near me’ should help. I know in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) there are many trainers around Pietermaritzburg and Durban.

Unfortunately, the smaller towns have fewer options. We train as far away as Kokstad and Underberg in southern KZN, and I’ve even gone to Limpopo for work.

Online courses

You’ll find dog trainers closer to the urban centres and there are even online courses these days. So there isn’t an excuse to not get your dog trained.

In Gauteng and the Western Cape there are many dog training facilities too. No matter where you are in South Africa, there is bound to be a dog trainer close by.

The more dogs that are trained, the better. I would love to train them all, but the mere fact that they are getting trained somewhere is important.

Get your dog trained, it will be worth it. The reasons for getting your dog trained are endless, but the main three are:

• Train your dog so that you at least have control over it on the farm, around staff and in public spaces.
  First, it’s embarrassing to have a badly behaved dog and second, if something goes wrong, you want to have confidence that you can get your dog under control as quickly as possible.
• A well-trained dog is intimidating. I’m impressed by powerful breeds like Rottweilers and Belgian Malinois.
  It is more impressive and intimidating if the owner has control over their dog.
  You know that the dog has composure and could probably chew you up and spit you out on a quick command.
  Most important, a trained dog could save your life, whether it’s from a would-be attacker or an actual life-threatening situation.
• A trained dog is a faithful and loyal dog, and will do all that it can to help and protect its owner.
  Some people are lucky enough to have a dog that may know what to do instinctively when threatened.

Threatening situation

However, I’ve seen it time and time again where people say that their dog will protect them in a threatening situation, but put a little pressure on the dog and it will rather run away than chase the offender away.

READ Benefits of having a well-trained dog for farmers

The moral of the story is to not leave it to chance and assume your dog will do what you want it to do.

Companion and asset

Every farmer should look at their dog as a companion and an asset.

A dog will help you through tough times and celebrate with you through good times, and by getting it trained, life just gets that much sweeter.

Email Jarred Hodgson at jarredhddtk9services.co.za, or call him on 073 043 4421.
Visit hddtk9services.co.za.