Now that school has started again it’s a good time to consider taking the dog to obedience school for a brush up session or a whole series of lessons if necessary. There’s no doubt that people have all the best plans for training their pets but often don’t have the commitment to following through. Unfortunately we also know that the #1 reason dogs are taken to shelters is because the family can’t control them. They haven’t been to training lessons. All dogs should be taught not to jump on their companions, to walk on a leash without pulling, to sit and stay on command, to ignore other dogs, noises and distractions and to accept strangers. Dog trainers teach us how to train our dogs. When dogs have good manners they become a valuable member of the family.