“Does he know any tricks?”
      “Oh, yes! He can shake, sit up, roll over, hold a treat on his nose, bark on command, and catch a frisbee!”

We’ve all heard something like that, right? Dogs trained to do cool tricks. And we’ve seen K-9 police dogs who have been trained to sniff out drugs or explosives, apprehend fugitives, search for survivors, scale walls and many other useful tasks. Those are all examples of well-trained and obedient dogs, and whether you’re teaching your dog obedience, fun tricks or useful tracking and detection skills, training is great for both you and your dog. Training helps strengthen the bond of trust and respect between you and your dog, it reinforces the Leader-Follower relationship by you (the Leader) giving commands and your dog (the Follower) obeying those commands, and it’s a great mental and physical workout for your dog.
 

But is that same obedient and highly-trained dog also well-behaved? In other words, what does he do in between commands? When he’s free to do whatever he wants, is he chewing up a shoe or digging up the garden? Is he at the front window barking at the slightest movement outside? Is he counter-surfing for food that was left out? Or is he laying quietly on his bed? When walking past another dog, does he pull on the leash and lunge and bark? Or does he politely and quietly meet other dogs and people? That’s what defines a well-behaved dog: self control. Self control is the same for dogs and people: the ability to regulate one’s own behavior and impulses. For example, when your child is at a friend’s house, is she well-mannered? Does she say “Please” and “Thank you”? Does she pick up after herself instead of leaving a mess? After a meal, does she offer to help with the dishes? Is she on her ‘best behavior’? We teach our children self control as a part of good behavior, and our dogs can learn it, too.