We all like to think of dogs as "Man's Best Friend." We just love those warm, cuddly balls of fur that greet us when we get home and that love us unconditionally with those wagging tails and puppy-dog eyes. Unfortunately, the picture isn't always so rosy. Read on to discover just why proper training is so important.

Dogs and puppies that aren't trained well - or trained at all - can be destructive to your property, or downright dangerous to your family and others -- and even to themselves. If you aren't yet convinced that puppy training is worth your time, consider the following scenarios.

Prevent Puppy Property Damage

Training your puppy while it's still young helps to establish ground rules for how you expect it to behave. If you'd like your puppy to let you know when it needs to be let outdoors to relieve itself, you'll need to train it to give you a signal. You may also want to train your dog not to beg for dinner scraps, not to sit on the furniture, and how to stay in a crate patiently while you're away. Using proper puppy training techniques are very helpful in accomplishing that goal.

Dogs that aren't given proper guidelines for their behavior may act out by damaging your property. A puppy that isn't trained to be left alone may chew on your slippers or furniture, or leave messes around your house. If you've invested any amount of money in new furniture or nice clothing, you'll find it worth your while to ensure that your puppy is trained well.

Protecting Your Dog's Health

However, training your dog doesn't just benefit you - it's also an important part of protecting your dog's health and well-being. A well-trained dog that responds to your commands is less likely to dart into traffic if it's accidentally set loose, or to gorge on garbage scraps when you're away.

In addition, it's essential to establish yourself as the "alpha dog" through proper puppy training techniques. This will help reinforce your puppy's good behavior, and make for a much happier relationship between you and your puppy.