Training Dog Tips

Basic obedience training for a dog requires a commitment from the owner. To have a well-behaved dog, you need to invest some time into its training. Whether you are choosing to teach basic obedience commands of sit, heel and stay or cool dog tricks such as flipping a dog bone off the dog's nose, the basic training tips are the same. Positive reinforcement and repetition work best for training dogs, regardless of age.

Step 1

Find a very quiet place with no distractions. A house full of screaming kids, dinner smells or loud TVs will only distract your dog. In addition you want to make sure your dog isn't hungry or needing a bathroom break during training. The less distraction for the dog, the more it will learn during the training session.

Step 2

Show your dog what you want it to do without treats or commands. If you want it to sit, gently push it into a sitting position. If you want it to heel, then show it how to stand by your side. Follow the same pattern for any command or trick. Just demonstrate by gently showing your dog what you'd like it to do.

Step 3

Grab a special treat and continue showing the dog what you'd like it to do, except this time give it the treat when it completes the action. Association works quickly for dogs, so keep repeating the demonstration and reward a few times.

Step 4

Add the command after the dog completes the action. Keep it very simple; preferably one word. Sit, stay, heel and come are all basic but effective simple commands for your dog. When you dog sits, make sure you are saying the command and giving the reward right after completion. Everyone in the family should use the same command for the same action.

Step 5

Limit the length of your training session. It's not very likely that you dog's attention span or your bag of special treats will last more than 15 minutes. Take a break and come back to the training a few hours later.

Step 6

Continue practicing one command at a time until your dog perfects the action. Then alternate providing a treat as a reward with gentle pats on the head and praise for a job well done. Continue this pattern until you can gradually remove the treat as the reward.

Step 7

Completely train for one command before moving on to the next command to avoid confusing the dog. However, make sure to revisit learned commands during daily activities to keep your dog aware of its new commands.

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Special dog treats

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Remember that dogs see you as the leader of their pack. The key to a well-behaved dog is establishing the boundaries of allowable behavior with consistent commands and positive reinforcement.

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dog training tips basics