Teaching Dog Tricks The Easy Way

By Andrew Strachan

If you were to ask what the quickest and easiest method was for teaching your dog a new trick, the answer would be - work with the nature of your dog, not against it. What we mean here is that you should look at what tricks your dog naturally does, or look for a dog trick in the making, like naturally putting a paw on your knee or rolling over etc.

If you choose a dog trick that naturally occurs, half your work is already done. Your dog will probably be eager to please as most dogs are and should therefore respond well to rewards. You can build on this to reinforce your dogs’ natural ability rather than starting an entirely new dog trick.

Which Dog Trick Do You Choose?

Observe your dog and watch out for a potential dog trick. This may be something as simple as crawling along on its belly to, catching a Frisbee or a ball. As soon as your dog performs one of its natural tricks, associate it with a hand gesture or verbal command and then reward your dog with its favorite treat. It wont be long before your dog learns the procedure.

Eventually over time, you will be able to cut back on the rewards until your dog will perform the dog trick with just the hand gesture or verbal command such as fetch or go get. Now that the new trick is firmly lodged in your dogs head, you will be able to build on it.

For example, if you have taught your dog to catch a Frisbee, how about increasing the distance that he will catch it from, or throw two Frisbee’s one after the other. Get your dog to catch one, drop it and then run for the other!

Popular Dog Tricks

Some of the most popular dog tricks are sit and come etc. These are pretty simple to teach. To teach your dog to sit, with your dog standing firmly press on its hind quarters directly above its back legs whilst at the same time saying the word Sit quite assertively but NOT shouting. Most dogs will naturally sit. At this point, heap lots of praise on your dog and then give them a treat. After several repetitions of this, your dog will soon learn what Sit means. Do not try this on older dogs that may have arthritis in their hind legs or hips.

If your dog does not sit when told, NEVER scold it. Just ignore it and try again another time. Otherwise your dog will associate Sit with being scolded. If your dog persistently fails to sit, try another trick.

Each dog has different talents.

To teach your dog to come is simple. When your dog is at a distance, say loudly but not shouting Come here or Come. This will usually get your dogs attention. Repeat the statement Come on, Come here. Most untrained dogs at this point will probably look away and carry on with whatever it was doing.

At this point walk up to your dog but keep within around 5 feet away. Say Come here. Your dog will probably now come to you. When he does, its time for a lot of praise and a treat. Repeat this but increase the distance that your dog has to walk towards you more each time. Eventually, your dog will instinctively come to you whenever it hears you shout Come here, from any distance.

Again, if your dog fails to come to you, DO NOT scold it. I once got asked "Why wont my dog come to me?” On further investigation I found out that every time the dog ran away and then failed to come back, the owners would scold the dog when they got hold of it again. WRONG! The dog started to associate the command Come here with a scolding. Totally the opposite. No wonder the dog failed to come to command.

Another dog trick you can try is Paw. This involves saying Paw then gently lifting the dogs paw with your hand followed by lots of praisetreats. After a while saying Paw will cause your dog to raise its paw. You can extend this to two paws where your dog Sits pretty on its haunches.

Another trick is Speak. This usually works best with a naturally vocal dog. Every time your dog howls or makes a funny noise, praise the dog whilst saying the command Speak. Eventually your dog will speak on command.

Teaching your dog a new dog trick should be a fun experience for both of you, and will give you lots of quality time together. Enjoy!

Article by Andrew Strachan. Find out more about dog behavior training and types of dogs at http://www.types-of-dogs.com

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Easy Dog Training Tips and Tricks

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Train Your Dog By Following These Easy Steps

Dog owners who are responsible know that good dogs are not made, theyre trained. From basic obedience to advanced techniques, proper socialization and instruction is not only necessary to have your dog be a good canine citizen, but it will help keep your dog safe and happy. These tips will help you get started or give you a better idea of what training a dog is like.

Training your dog will be a rewarding experience for you both if it is approached with motivation and a positive mental attitude. Reward your dog during the training session, particularly when it does what you ask of it. Using negative reactions and punishment dont work and they will cause your dog to fear you.



If you lack patience or cannon remain even-tempered during the training session, do not push forward. Dogs learn more when talked to in a firm, yet calm voice.

It is important you use a crate to properly train your dog. Take your dog outside frequently and try to maintain a regular schedule in order to maximize the effectiveness of the crate. Over time, dogs that are house trained with the use of a crate tend to have less accidents inside the home.

Consistently practice the skills your dog has learned with him. Try giving them "quizzes" to see what they know, even if you know they will succeed.

Learn to incorporate positive reinforcement when training, in place of treat based rewards. Giving dogs treats to learn new behavior does work. That said, you likely dont always have treats on hand during the times that are not spent formally training your dog. Start using praise and extra attention, hugging and patting, when your dog displays a positive behavior.

If you are training your dog, always associate the exact same word or phrase with the same action or behavior. You dog will learn to respond to the specific word or words that you choose to represent a desired behavior. Stay consistent. You will be more successful this way.

Keep your dog well exercised and active. Dogs can easily get bored. Dogs that lose interest are hard to train. If you have a happy, exercised dog, they will listen better. Walk or run your dog frequently.

When training your new dog, you call them by name as much as possible. By using it as much as possible during the first weeks you own him, your puppy will learn that this sound is in reference to him. Choose a shorter name that can stand out from other terms.

One vital piece of dog training advice is to be resilient and never give up. Constant reinforcement and praise are essential when maintaining the training your dog learned in how to behave. Training for your dog never ends, think about it in the same manner as sheltering and feeding your dog.

Be consistent when training a canine. Write down a list of all the commands you use, and inform anyone who commands the dog to use the words on the list. Remember to always reward a good behavior and not a bad behavior. If other people are not following your training program, it can make your dog confused, which will set back your dogs training.

If you are going to be leaving the house for any extended period of time, make sure you take your dog on a lengthy walk before leaving. If your dog is exhausted, he wont experience as much anxiety when you leave.

When a new person comes into your house, tell them exactly how they should approach your dog. An excited dog, however, will jump up on guests and be more likely to disobey commands.

Any complicated or multistage task you would like to teach your dog should be broken down into steps. One example might be to teach him to fetch your daily newspaper. First, your dog must be able to pick up an object and hold it in his mouth. Next, you need to teach him how to identify the object by name. Picking up the object is the next part of the puzzle that needs to be practiced. And for the last step, he needs to learn to bring the object to you. If you make it easy to understand, your dog will better grasp it.

If hiring an animal behavior professional is something you are considering, make sure to learn as much about them as you can. Opinions and techniques can vary from animal specialist to animal specialist. Make sure that the trainer you hire has a mentality similar to yours when it comes to working with pets.

This article will help you and your dog function better in society. Training your dog well makes your dog more fun to have around and cause less stress. No matter if you choose to attempt your own dog training or you enlist the aid of a professional, making sure your pet is fully trained is a great way to ensure the happiness of you and your companion.

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Training Your Dog The Easy Way

By William McRand

Well trained dogs are more likely to stay around home and with the same owner. Stay at home dogs dont get in to the pound, they are happy at home with their master. Most dogs in shelters has not had any training.

Start training your dog as soon as posible. It is never too soon to start training a puppy, however give your puppy as much freedom as possible until he is about 4 to 6 months of age. Always keep a lead and collar on your puppy in public places where there is danger. In many countries it is against the law to allow a dog to run free, so be careful if that applies to your country.

Training your dog helps to teach them boundaries, thus making them more comfortable around people. Whether you train your dog yourself or find a professional, teaching your dog commands and socializing it is important. Areas to cover in training include:

Some dog training tips:

This first one is easy. You just start by saying "sit" every time the puppy sits itself. He learns to associate the word sit with the action. This is a tip you can use in all training. Sit down on the floor so you get to the same level as the dog. You are less threatening when you sit. More important is that you are close to the dog so you can reward him faster.

Teaching a Puppy to Heel

You will need to Walk at a steady pace with your puppy with a good fitting collar and lead. keep him on your left side, keep saying the command HEEL. every time you say HEEL, slap your thigh or the side of your leg. If your pup trys to pull away or gets distracted, just keep walking, hell soon get the message and follow along. If you dont stop, hell have to follow. As he follows you after a distraction, pat him a little saying good dog or good boy or girl.

Teaching a Puppy to Sit

Its time to teach your dog to sit. while walking your pup stop and transfer the lead to your right side. Pull up on the collar and press down on his back end with your left hand. He will have no choice but to sit. While lifting with the collar takes weight off his front legs the motion causes the pup to want to sit, especially with your hand pressing him down. While telling him to sit as you press down. Repeat this several times, praising him each time he sits. Now walk further along and repeat this exercise several more times in a 10 minute walk.

Leash walking

Leash walking at a steady pace, you can start this training as soon as you get your new dog. This is
important, especially to build up a tolerance to stay in a kennel environment for several hours.
There are many benefits to having a well trained dog. But it doesnt necessarily mean the dog will not develop behavioral problems down the road, like separation anxiety. Simply put a well trained dog is a joy to be around and strengthens the human-animal bond.

William McRand Author: Freelance Writer specializing in Internet marketing, Self help, Blogging, and online income. If you found his articles helpful, read his Blog which is loaded with more useful content on this, and related topics. http://mcranddogtraining.blogspot.com/

http://mcranddogtraining.blogspot.com/

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Easy Methods To Help Train Your Dog

Training your dog is among the most important aspects of your pets life. Training your dog is something that will be repaid to you over the future years because you will have a happy and healthy dog who respects your family and listens to you when necessary. Learn more about dog training with this article.

Obedience classes are good ways to train your dog to follow your commands. The trained instructors can help your pup with any issues he may have, including unnecessary barking, chewing, house training and normal obedience issues.



The best time to start training a dog is when its a puppy. Much like human children, puppies learn faster than adult dogs. Beginning your dogs training when he is still young will help him to be a well-behaved dog as he ages.

Unless breeding is in your dogs future, make sure he or she is spayed or neutered before six months of age. This should be done at the same time you start obedience training. A dog that is fixed will be more willing to learn. You and your pet will enjoy a longer and happier life together.

Be careful not to spend too much time at once training your dog. Your dog will get bored and antsy if you spend too much time on one thing. The first few sessions especially should be kept under 10 minutes.

There is no denying that dogs possess certain innate urges and behaviors, and therefore it is necessary that they be allowed to exhibit them on occasion. Dogs require a nutritious diet, space to run in and activities and toys to keep them busy.

Your dog should always give you its attention when asked. When a command is reinforced properly and often enough, your dog will begin to shift his focus from the distractions around to you in order to wait for your signal.

If you are attempting to crate train your dog, remember that it is a multi-step process. As soon as they start to feel comfortable in the crate when the door is open, try closing the gate and have them eat inside. Only keep the gate closed for short periods of time at first and increase time slowly. If the dog becomes agitated, slow down a little more to make them more comfortable.

If you catch your puppy chewing something that he should not be chewing, put an immediate stop to it. Get some toys for your puppy to chew on and make sure he understands the difference by scolding or praising him.

When training a dog it is important to teach him good habits from the start. It is easier to instill good habits than it is to deal with bad ones. To avoid begging at the table, avoid giving the dog food off the table to begin with.

Have a blast during each training session with your dog. By playing games with your dog, a strong bond will develop between the two of you, which helps the dog respond in a positive manner during training. Training can be a fun experience, however, getting some enjoyment for yourself and the dog through play is a good thing.

Dogs with separation anxiety can benefit from training. Separation anxiety can cause your dog to misbehave while you are away, like non-stop barking and destructive chewing. It is possible to train your dog to refrain from such activities and control himself while he is alone. Doggy nerves can also be soothed by showing your pet plenty of affection.

Be aware of what foods and treats your dog loves the most. Your dog will work harder to get the food that he/she loves so much. Take note of how your dog responds when he is given his reward.

When you want to have success at dog training, understanding what your dog is motivated by is half the battle. Dog training can be a learning experience, especially with it comes to determining what motivates your pet. Offer your dog a lot of positive reinforcement and an array of training techniques. A contented puppy will perform well, and be easier to train.

Keep track of how many treats used to reward your dog every day for a healthy diet. It is easy to forget about treats when you consider how much you are feeding your dog. This can happen especially when you are training him.

Do not allow your pet to become complacent in his training. Establish a clear set of rules and stick with it at all times. A lot of times owners thing training is a one time event. However, pets are ruled by habits, structure and routine in much that same way that humans are. You must remain strict with your dog.

Dog training may be expensive, but its money well spent. A dog that does not behave in an appropriate manner will cause a lot of unneeded stress and damage, leading to families questioning whether to give the dog up. Use the information here. Choose to train your dog and your dog will be a pleasure for everyone.

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