A dog, being a pack animal, must have a leader to follow or they often take over. When the leader is weak they challenge his authority and he either steps up or falls back. There are many opportunities to be the leader of the pack and practicing obedience to you and your rules places you firmly in the position of "boss". Training does not have to be as rigid as the above picture would show but firmness of decisions is always in order. There is no room for people who change the rules of the game when it comes to obedience training. If sit means sit here until I tell you to move, then in a week do not change that to mean sit here until I walk away and forget to call you. This will endlessly confuse the willing pet and greatly undermine the picture of authority you are trying to present.
Obedience is not yelling. Dogs learn more with a hand signal or nod of the head then shouting of commands has ever taught them. Yelling is purely emotional and human and has no place in training. Dogs see leadership as black and white. Giving a command should be done with calm authority which will register to the dog as leadership. This is much more likely to be obeyed provided basic training to the meaning of your words has been established. Any long drawn out narration of why they should not have knocked down the trash can and dug out all the goodies will only leave your pup wagging his tail. Next time you are sitting on the couch with your best furry pal, eating a pizza, feeding them nibbles here and there while watching the news, (expecting them to not reach over and take their own bite) think about the mixed signals you are giving. How clear are you about your personal space, the dog's space, and exactly how and when the pet is allowed to eat your food? If an owner has been fair on all these points then the dog will sit quietly on the couch and not reach over to take their own bite.
Obedience is an action reflecting the state of mind of an owner and is always in flux. Your pet is your mirror. When the dog fails at a command look to yourself first. Days that owners feel weak, the pet takes more of a leadership role, feeling strong, the pet falls back into line. Next time your four legged furry is not being as obedient as you wish, reflect on your own training, mood, level of energy and way you are conveying your desires to them. You may find it more your fault than your friends.
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