Top 5 Dog Breeds to Train
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Introduction
Obedience, intelligence, and loyalty are all important traits we look for in dog breeds to train. Generally, each dog breed has its own characteristics that make it stand out. For example, there are some trainable dogs that are not necessarily intelligent but are loyal and extremely obedient. Such dogs would work their hardest in order to please their owner, even if they don’t really want to do the job. These dogs are great for simple tasks but are not quite fit for complicated tasks that require some reasoning. On the other hand, other dog breeds have herding behavior and therefore are a great fit as a shepherd or guard dog. In the following text, we will talk about the top 5 dog breeds to train and we will specify the unique characteristics that make them great at specific tasks.
1. Border Collie
Border Collies are one of the most exceptional dog breeds as they excel in many fields and are known for their rapid learning ability. They are mostly accepted as herding dogs because of their great instincts in protecting their territory and guiding sheep. They perform great on farms and are very useful when it comes to guarding. Apart from that, they are phenomenally intelligent which makes them capable of learning any skill you present to them. They are medium-sized energy balls that find great joy in exercise and work. In fact, they might even get depressed if they don’t have enough activity throughout their day, making them great for heavy workloads. Additionally, they are very loyal to their family and have high tolerance towards kids. For all the following reasons, Border Collies are exceptional multi-taskers that will excel at anything you teach them making them at the top of the list of dogs to train.
Border Collies are a great fit as participants in dog competitions; with their high energy and ability to reason, they do great at agility, dock diving, and obedience exercises. Additionally, they are great swimmers that would perform well as lifeguard dogs. Basically, you can teach your Border collie anything, and they will be very excited to perform the task and receive praise. You can teach them to do some home chores, including picking up the trash, fetching the newspaper, and sorting the laundry. Additionally, they can be taught to take care of your garden by watering plants and removing rocks. At some point, they might get a little rebellious, but with a correct training strategy, they can easily get back on track. The only downside of Border Collies is that they can easily get bored and depressed if they don’t receive a good amount of activity and work. Therefore, they are a little challenging for inexperienced owners and might cause some trouble if they don’t receive enough attention.
2. Poodle
Poodles were originally used as duck hunting dogs or shepherd dogs. Even though their appearance doesn’t really imply that they are tough, they are great at guarding and hunting. They were also previously used as circus dogs, as they find great joy in exercise. They are brilliant, sportive, easily trained dogs that excel at agility obedience, and tracking. Even though they are a little less intellectual than border collies, they have an ability known as memory learning. Meaning that they are able to remember previous experiences and benefit from them. They are great with kids and are good for first-time owners as they are extremely loyal and friendly. If you want to get a dog with similar traits to the Border Collie but doesn’t have as much energy, go for the Poodle. They have participated in several types of dog competitions, and are very famous for their appealing attitude and their cute hairstyles. They can be a little aggressive when they meet new people for the first time, but they will become looser after all.
Poodles are generally empathetic creatures, and therefore they have the ability to work in fields that require empathy. For example, they are a great fit to work with children or the elderly. They can be used as therapy dogs, and to cheer up sick children and visit hospitals. They also have this unique skill of noticing any abnormal activity and noise and are therefore great guards and watchdogs that will do anything to protect their family.
3. German shepherd
Another famous herd dog is the German shepherd. Known for his developed sense of smell, courage, and physical abilities. Although this dog is enormous compared to other breeds, he is very friendly and loving, and mostly enjoys helping others. These characteristics make the German shepherd the fit for police work, rescue, and guarding jobs. They have great empathy and they enjoy doing jobs that involve socializing with different people. What makes this breed exceptionally special is that they have the ability to perform as herding dogs, police guard dogs, and community workers. If trained correctly, they can excel at all types of jobs, which makes them the shine as one of the dog breeds to train.
4. Golden Retriever
This gentle giant belongs to the sports group in dog breeds. A Golden retriever is the perfect example of a loyal, loving family dog. They are the most social dogs one can own, so if you like to be around your pet for a long time, a Golden retriever is the perfect dog breed for you. They enjoy being a part of the family and are extremely obedient when it comes to their owners. They are huge, fluffy, and friendly creatures that love being around people and will get depressed if left alone. Since they are friendly with humans and other dogs, they are not a good fit as guard dogs. But on the other hand, they perform a great job at any other known activity such as retrieving, tracking, and swimming. In fact, they are very easily trained just because they love to please their owners too much. For this reason, they are favorable to participating in obedience competitions.
Golden dogs can only adapt to an apartment life only if provided with adequate amounts of exercise and socializing. Similar to Border Collies, they need to be given a purpose for life, meaning that they should be provided with tasks continuously to stay occupied. Otherwise, they should be given at least an hour per day of walking, fetch, or any other type of sport. So if you need a companion for your morning and afternoon runs, Golden Retrievers are the best for you. They are very soft-tempered and calm, meaning that don’t bark often and won’t cause much noise. This is one of the reasons that makes them great companions for kids, as well as exceptional dog breeds to train.
5. Labrador Retriever
The Labrador retriever also belongs to the working group, where it was originally trained to retrieve hunted birds and fish. They were taught to help fishermen grab their nets from cold water and bring the caught fish. Generally, they’re divided into two types from which today’s Labradors originated. They either originate from hunting Labradors or competition Labradors, and the perfect dog is the one that combines both types of blood. Labradors are very loving towards their family but are far less social than Goldens. Therefore, they are a little more convenient as guard dogs as they can act aggressively towards strangers. Their muscle structure is very developed, thus they need to be trained to walk without a leash at a young age. They are the fifth breed on this list in terms of training because they can act a little stubborn sometimes. At some point, if they are left alone they won’t mind causing a huge mess in your house. For this reason, they are the least suitable for apartment life.
Proper socialization and taming activities should be initiated early in their life as puppies to prevent trouble when they become adults. A well-socialized puppy is less likely to cause trouble with other dogs or people and performs better at community service activities. They are great family dogs, but because of their explosive energy, they are less convenient as companions for young family members. They are hyperactive and they never prefer to sit around or cuddle with their owners, they’d rather be playing fetch. Their coat is short and less likely to cause an irritated respiratory system and thus is more suitable for people with allergies.
Conclusion
After all, dog training is not a simple task and cannot be done over a short period. Serious dog training requires experience and continuous activity to stimulate obedience. And even though dog breeds to train react differently to similar training techniques, dogs, in general, enjoy doing a job and getting praise for it. The most essential part of training is puppy socialization where they are trained from a young age to meet other humans and dogs. Additionally, it teaches them that there are times when they will be around people and at other times they will be alone. This period is very critical, as dogs usually become peaceful and docile if prepared carefully in their early months of life. If you’re willing to train your furry friend don’t stress it out and let the experts handle it, contact us for training services and tips!