I know this may come as a surprise to most people, however, humans have been telling dogs what to do and NOT do for centuries! Just as discipline is important for kids, it is equally important to dogs. In fact, they love it. Without discipline and proper guidance, dogs think that they can do what they want, when they want, without any concern for consequences. And that is the perfect difference between a well trained dog and an untrained, or improperly trained, dog. The untrained dog will see the world through its own senses: hearing, seeing, smelling, and then act accordingly based on how the dog sees best. An untrained dog may have an owner who is wanting to, or maybe is trying to set house rules, or may have previously gone through training or seen multiple trainers. Those things do not mean that dog is trained. A person may go to law school, but if they don’t pass their boards, they are not a lawyer. If the dog is still having unwanted behaviors or actions, the dog is not well trained. A well trained dog sees the same world as the untrained dog, but looks towards its owner for guidance. Should he run out the front door to chase that squirrel that is trespassing on your lawn? If you have a fenced in yard, why not? If you don’t, then he should probably stay inside. Should he protect the house against the annoying human who is your brother? Unless you don’t want your brother on your property, it’s probably safe to have him over. Should he protect the house from this person whom he has never seen before? If it’s someone you did not invite over, then yes. If it’s someone you have never seen before, then absolutely let your dog do its job and protect your house. This is the importance of having a well trained dog. This balance will give your life the serenity you’ve been longing for and the pride that every dog owner should feel of having an obedient dog.