There are clear benefits for dog owners who use trainers or go to obedience school. For puppies, taking an obedience class can help short term and long term. Not only are the puppies given basic training, but the owner also learns effective techniques for training and control. Puppies benefit from contact with other people and pets in a controlled safe environment. Even if a dog hasn’t had basic training, consulting a trainer for specific problem behaviors can be quite helpful.

While it certainly is possible for people to train their own dogs, there are a number of reasons for one to seek professional help. First, a good trainer knows dogs - they know how dogs communicate, how they behave, and what motivates them. Often bad behaviors develop due to an owner's misunderstanding or mistake. Training and obedience classes teach pet and owner alike. This can be particularly helpful to a first time dog owner as he/she will learn effective methods of training and control. Puppy classes are also especially useful for owners whose dog has the potential of being hard to control. This includes high energy dogs like labs as well as big and/or strong dogs that may be able to over power their owner as they become full grown. Even the gentle giants like St. Bernard’s can create trouble if an owner is unable to handle them effectively. Obedience class is often a time for a puppy to socialize with other pets and people, and essentially learns etiquette. This is important as most dogs will have contact with other people and pets, and appropriate behavior is needed.