u/First_Ad_3642

I’ve been thinking about this lately and wanted to get some real, honest input from other dog owners.

A lot of people say their dog is “trained,” but that can mean very different things depending on the person. For some, it’s basic cues like sit, down, and maybe recall (when the dog feels like it). For others, it’s structured obedience with consistency, impulse control, and working under distractions.

So I’m curious:

How many of you have trained your dogs in basic obedience (sit, down, stay, recall, leash manners)?

How many have gone further into advanced obedience (off-leash reliability, heel with focus, place command, duration work, proofing under distractions)?

And how many have done formal training (working dog sports, protection work, or competition obedience)?

Also:

Did you train your dog yourself or work with a trainer?

What made you stop (if you did)? Time, difficulty, or just didn’t feel the need?

Do you think most dog parents underestimate how much training actually matters?

From what I’ve seen, a large percentage of dogs never get past inconsistent basics, which probably explains a lot of behavior issues people struggle with daily.

Genuinely interested to see where most people stand on this.