Dog sitting in tall grass with ball in mouth

Will Training Change Your Dog’s Personality

Yes, training will help your dog learn how to behave the way that you want him to, but it won’t change the very essence of his personality. Here’s what you should know about training and your dog’s personality.

If your dog has a big, boisterous personality, you might be concerned that training will change that. After all, isn’t training meant to whip your pooch into shape and force him to follow your orders? Well, not exactly. Yes, training will help your dog learn how to behave the way that you want him to, but it won’t change the very essence of his personality. Here’s what you should know about training and your dog’s personality.

Personality is not behaviour

Training helps correct problematic behaviours. Your dog’s personality may make him prone to engage in problematic behaviours, but training won’t actually change your pet’s personality. Instead, it will help your dog learn acceptable behaviour that will allow his personality to shine. For example, an untrained dog that gets excited when you come home may jump up at you in his excitement. This may be cute while he’s young, but it becomes problematic as he grows. Training removes the unwanted behaviour (jumping up), but it won’t affect his enthusiasm when he greets you.

Two dogs sitting on the grass side by side

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