Dog Training Tips & Tricks

Dog training can be performed for several reasons, including obedience and teaching tricks. Many dogs are trained for specialized uses, such as law enforcement, search and rescue, hunting, assisting people with disabilities and working with livestock. According to Dogtime, dogs can be successfully trained at any stage of life, from puppy to senior dog.

  1. Positive Reinforcement

    • According to the Humane Society, dogs associate rewards such as food treats and praise with feeling good and are likely to repeat a behavior if they anticipate a reward in response. Because of this, you can shape a dog's behavior by giving it a reward immediately after it has performed the desired action. For example, if you want a dog to sit, start by encouraging it to assume a sitting position while saying "Sit" out loud. As soon as the dog is sitting, reinforce the behavior by giving it vocal praise and a treat. Eventually, most dogs will associate the word "Sit" with sitting down and receiving praise.

    Establish Alpha Status

    • Dogs are pack animals and respond well to who they perceive to be the "alpha male" or pack leader, reports online magazine "Dog Owner's Guide." One way to establish yourself as the pack leader is by picking your pup up with both hands just under its front legs so that it faces you. Hold the puppy away and look directly into its eyes. If it struggles, growl at it using a low guttural sound. Hold this position for 15 to 45 seconds. This exercise is meant for pups and should not be attempted on dogs older than three months.

    Stay Consistent

    • Consistency in dog training is important to keep the dog from getting confused. When teaching commands, have everyone in the household use the same verbal and physical cues. Also, always reinforce good behavior while discouraging negative behavior. One way to discourage bad behavior is by firmly saying "No" and ignoring your dog for the next 10 to 15 minutes. Never hit your dog because this may cause it to become aggressive, reports Dog Training Classroom.

    Keep Training Sessions Short

    • Many dogs have a short attention span, according to Dog Training Classroom. Because of this, it is important to keep training sessions short before your dog becomes easily distracted or bored. Training sessions should ideally be about 10 minutes long, even if your dog seems to want more. This way, your dog will look forward to the next training session and associate training with feeling good rather than frustration or boredom.