How you want your dog to behave is entirely up to you.  And, that's exactly the way it should be.  After all, they live with you and your family in your home.   Many dog trainers and pet stores provide "cookie cutter" training - using basic obedience techniques for every dog, regardless of the breed or owner’s lifestyle.  Too many dogs involved in this type of class exhibit worse behavior after they were “trained”.   Reasons:  the training did not take into consideration the breed’s instincts and characteristics or your lifestyle and daily routine.  As a result, they were exposed to commands they did not learn to obey. 

Question:  How many obedience classes have you seen or taken that included breeds such as Rottweilers, Yorkies, Labradors, Akitas, Bull Terriers and Weimaraners – all in the same class?  No wonder the pups “didn’t get it”. 

TCDOA knows that a Beagle cannot be trained using the same techniques as a German Shepherd Dog, or a Retriever the same as a Terrier.  TCDOA also knows that regardless of breed, no two dogs are alike.

Your lifestyle should play an important role in training.   Most owners want a companion dog, others a guard dog.  Maybe you need a pet playmate for your boisterous children, or one that can run along beside you while you bike ride, jog, or rollerblade.  Do you wish you and your pet could take long walks downtown window shopping or lunching at an outdoor café?  Are you a business owner who would like to be able to take your dog to the office every day?  Do you have other pets, a small patio or a big backyard?  Do you need a watchdog or a couch potatoe?  So many variables – so many dogs.