I suspect that most dog owners view obedience training as something they do to make their own lives easier. An obedient dog won’t run away, dive into the nearest trash bin, or ignore your call—all of these things take time and can be aggravating for the dog owner.
However, as Jaymi Heimbuch writes on the mother nature network website, an obedient dog is also a safe dog. A dog who responds well to your commands can be protected from a variety of real-world dangers. Heimbuch offers 12 seemingly simple commands that could be actual life savers, from “sit” and “lay down” to “drop it” and “heel”:
“Sit” is one of the most basic tricks we can teach our dogs. When a dog is in a “sit” position, he knows he is meant to stay sitting until you say otherwise. If you need your dog to just chill out while you take care of something, you can put him in a sit position, knowing he won’t run off and get into trouble while you’re distracted. It’s a perfect command for situations like standing in a crowded place or if you’re loading the car for a trip and need Fido to hang out before getting in. Or on the flip side, telling your dog to “sit” before opening the door of the car to let him out gives you time to open the door, leash him up, and make sure no other cars are coming in the street or parking lot before allowing him to exit the vehicle.
It’s a good reminder that oftentimes we, as owners, are responsible for keeping our best friends away from harm.
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