Owners are responsible for making their dogs good citizens.

If you’re a dog owner who's taking good care of your pet, you know there are many obligations you have to your dog. After all, your pets are in many ways like your children, and it’s up to you to make sure both your dog’s physical needs are met and you're training him to be a part of society.

Your dog should be required and trained to obey basic commands, be trusting and sociable with humans and others dogs, and have good manners in public and at home. The quality of your life and of your family, friends, and neighbors, depends on the proper training and socialization of your dog.

Treat your dog as a member of the family.

Dogs are sociable pack animals and should be treated as one of the family. They are not meant to live alone and relegated to life on a leash or tied up in a back yard for hours at a time. A dog who is never socialized and is neglected often becomes a nuisance barker, aggressive, and frustrated. If a dog is abused or neglected, he can become dangerous and harmful to society. On the other hand, dogs that are loved, cared for, and properly trained are a joy to humans and can actually perform valuable tasks, such as guarding your home, teaching children responsibility, and providing companionship to owners.

Love is not enough – dogs must have proper training.

Like children, dogs need training and proper discipline to become socialized, to learn right from wrong, and make great companions. Obviously dog training should start as early as possible, ideally when your dog is still a puppy. There are many training programs available online, and you can also look for books on training or find a local dog trainer.

It’s important your dog learns what not to do as early as possible:

• Chewing – Don’t allow chewing on things other than chew toys that you have given him! Provide your dog with safe chew toys such as Nylabone and Kong, and immediately remove anything else he tries to chew. Never allow a young puppy to grab a sock or object he wants to chew on because you think it’s cute! Once you allow the dog to chew on anything other than what you have given him permission to chew on, you have opened the door to destruction. Dogs can be trained early to understand everything in the home is off-limits except the toys, food, bones, etc. that you have provided him. This also relates to issues of dominance and submission. You are as his owner, the pack leader, and therefore you’re the provider—he must learn that he only chews on the toys you’ve given him. Because puppies naturally want and need to chew as they are teething—they need to be provided with safe chew toys. While you’re not supervising your puppy, make sure he is safely in his crate with plenty of safe doggy chew toys. Never allow puppies and untrained dogs free reign in the home. You wouldn’t leave a young child alone and the same principals of supervision apply to younger or untrained dogs. When your puppy tries to chew your fingers or something he’s not supposed to chew, you can simply say, “leave it,” and replace that object with a chew toy. Also, make certain you remove any dangerous objects from your puppy’s play areas, such as: electrical cords, poisons, small parts that can be swallowed and poisonous plants. Continue being consistent with this early training until you can be confident knows the rules.

• Jumping – Dogs should never be allowed to jump on humans, and this behavior has to be addressed immediately and consistently. It’s actually a sign of disrespect for dogs to jump on you. To train your dog not to jump on people, you need to take a step forward toward the dog when you see he is ready to jump, and move quickly to the side, leaving an empty space. When a dog jumps, always move forward into the space and say, “no jumping.” Never encourage this behavior thinking its cute or just a sign of affection to be encouraged. It’s simply bad manners and can result in dog’s damaging clothing or even knocking people over. And, house guests will not find it adorable or endearing!

• Begging for Food – Again, dogs should only eat food that you give them and not be allowed to beg for food from you by staring, whining, or asking you to feed them from your plate. If you start feeding a puppy or a dog from your plate, you encourage begging. I trained my dog to not look at me or anyone else who is eating, by simply looking at him and saying, “stop that!” until he looks away. This makes it clear he is not allowed to beg for food. A dog should not be allowed to jump up to take food off counters or eat food anywhere other than his food bowl or treats you are giving him. This is an important part of teaching your dog good canine manners.

Of course there are many more important things dogs must be trained to do, such as: sit, stay, and lay down, heel, come, and more. If dog owners address socialization and training early and consistently, they are more likely to have a companion they truly enjoy and whose good manners make him welcome in public places.