Without proper dog behavior training, a dog will be a pain in the neck around the house. There are many aids available to help this process, from dog training videos to books to classes with trained teachers. The most basic training can be done using a paperback book from the library or in a "sleepover" dog training school.

Basic dog training should start as young as possible with a puppy, preferably. Once a pup is out of the nursery box and into the household, a responsible owner should begin to convey what conduct is acceptable and what is not. Certain normal canine behaviors, such as chewing on anything that feels pleasant to those baby teeth may be very abnormal to the human master and seen as destructive. Having appropriate toys and treats can be as much a part of dog behavior training as specific behavior modifications.

Some kinds of training are more specific. For example, a dog can be trained to know when and where it can go to the potty. In order to get good results, the owner must have realistic expectations and understand how canine behavior works. You can't just think that an animal can wait 12 hours to go to the potty because their owner is at work all the time. This is not reasonable or appropriate. The needs of the dog must always be met before you can expect to see the desired expectation. It may help to place a newspaper or "pee pad" in a predictable location to give your pet an emergency "rest stop".

Housebreaking may be a dog behavior training most people are comfortable doing themselves, but more complicated behaviors may require the help of a professional. This can range from simple commands like sit and stay and heel to more complicated behaviors such as those for home security. Televised programs on dog training may help and can often be purchased as videos. Online behavior training help is also available.

A professional dog trainer may be required when the owner has no experience in a particular area, such as crate training. Even a long time dog owner may not have experience training a dog to stay in a crate while its owners are away. The decision to crate a dog should be weighed against the needs and comfort of the dog, and not simply as a convenience, or an excuse to ignore the dog. Many owners find professional training in a campus setting more efficient and effective than trial and error at home.

Dog behavior training must also be realistic. A greyhound may not be trainable to live in a penthouse with no opportunity to run and exercise for example. A professional trainer can give valuable input about the needs of specific breeds and the personalities of individual pets to make training more efficient and effective.

Dog training can be something an owner manages by themselves using dog training videos or books, or formal dog behavior training can occur at a special canine boarding school. Dog behavior training ideally will start with a young puppy to adapt instinctive behaviors to acceptable ones. Training should be realistic for the type of dog and its maturity. Simple behaviors like housebreaking may be easy to "do it yourself" while more complex training is better left to a professional, especially if the owner has no experience with it. Consistency and understanding normal behaviors is important as well.