What is your definition of “trained”?
I ask, since I often see here questions like:
“My dog is trained but still pees in the house!”
Or:
“My dog is trained, but it bites children”
Or:
“My dog can’t walk on a leash, even though I have trained it!”
So, I’ve come to the conclusion that my definition of “trained” must be wrong. So tell me, what is your definition of a trained dog?
Kip’s Mom, I have seen many examples of these ‘trained’ dogs and like you have wondered what people call trained.
To me a trained dog is a dog that (this is in no particular order)
Comes when called, indoors or out.
Will walk on lead without turning my arm into an extension of the leash.
Will not toilet indoors (except in the case of illness)
Toilets on command.
Does not put his/her mouth on a person. I live with a bully breed and mouthing is not acceptable.
Will sit, down, stay, wait, come, leave it, drop it & hush on command.
Knows what furniture he/she is allowed, or not allowed, to be on.
You can train a dog to do tricks but this is not, to me, in the same catagory as being trained. However learning new tricks keeps their mind active and keeps them from being bored. It is also good for bonding.
HA! After reading the other answers I see I did not think of a couple of things, one of them being , will not beg at the dinner table.
Walking the goat, Taco!