Dog Training, The Basics

No matter how smart ( or dumb!) your dog is every dog can learn to follow basic commands and even do a few tricks too. The secret is ‘reward’ training at first followed by praise. When the dog stops having fun then stop the training for the day.

Another thing I’ve learned is to make them ‘earn’ those treats! Why not secretly teach a new trick as a ‘surprise’ birthday or Christmas gift from the dog?

Here are some other training tips: No yelling. It can scare your dog and create a negative experience which can last a lifetime. Get really excited when they perform a trick! It’ll reinforce their behavior.Talk to your pet. The more you talk, the more tricks they’ll learn. While your boxer might not ever learn to play the piano, he can certainly make you proud by learning the basics.

Remember that your dog wants to please you, do what you say and have fun too. What a head start!