Deciding to take your pet to dog obedience school training is giving you both a great start. A good dog obedience school will teach you how to train your dog so that walking him is easier, he sits and stands on command, doesn't pull at the leash, comes when he is called, amongst other things.

Dogs generally love it as they get to spend time with other dogs, and it can be a great way to meet people too. And spending that quality time with your dog is a great way to cement your relationship, especially if he is a puppy still.

The coach or trainer won't actually be the one training your dog. You will, but they will teach you how to. But it's important to know that you'll need to practice what you learn each week with your dog, at least 5 times.

Given that the commands and lessons are done in sequence, it's important that you attend every lesson. If you miss one week, you may find it hard to catch up.

How do you find a good dog obedience school? Word of mouth is still the best bet. Ask friends, family, and neighbors if they know of any good places. Failing that, try looking up the yellow pages or the internet, under 'Dog Training'. Most schools will allow you to observe the class, so contact them first. It's a great way to see how the other dogs and owners are finding the course. But do leave your dog at home when you observe. You don't want to interrupt the training, and you may be observing a course part the way through, having missed vital earlier lessons.

Pay attention to your first impressions when you observe a class. What feeling do you get, especially from the other dogs. Is the instructor interacting with the other dogs in a positive way, or does he inspire fear and aggression. Whilst some dogs may have individual tendencies, if you observe the group you're likely to get a good sense of the instructor.

And of course, pay attention to how the coach interacts with the dog owners, especially the ones having a hard time training their dogs. An instructor who is patient, and communicates well, will make the whole experience much more enjoyable for the both of you. You will both learn faster too.

If the atmosphere is good, and the dogs are not bored or anxious, this is a good indicator that you have found great dog obedience school training.