The majority of behavioral problems such as; lying on the sofa, going in the trash,  unwanted aggression around toys or food, chewing, and excessive barking are neutralized through obedience. 

More importantly, obedience gives your dog  a purpose in life.  This may seem insignificant to you, but to your companion, obedience will mean the world.  Obedience is the equivalent of learning A-Z and 1,2,3.  You can't correct your dog for unwanted behavior if he/she doesn't know anything. 

Take for instance jumping on people, a common problem. It's a problem because the majority of dogs with this undesirable behavior don't know anything and what they do know is not clear. 

How do I solve the problem?  I make  the dog Sit and mean it.  The dog can't jump and sit at the same time.  This is training an incompatible behavior.  Another common problem is unwanted aggression around stolen objects or food. This is easily eliminated through the pack leader relationship established in obedience.  The animal understands that aggression can't be shown to any pack member who is higher in rank than I am. Therefore I can't show aggression.  Some dogs have gone so long with this aggression that it becomes habit.

Today most dog owners want to eliminate significant behavioral problems and yet avoid obedience training. This is wrong.  There are no short cuts.  Educate your dog the right way.

I leave you with a quote from my grandmother; "Education is the root of all things."  This applies not only to us, but to our dogs as well.

This best place to start with behavior modification is in our Puppy Kindergarten or Basic Obedience Programs