Things You'll Need
- Treats
Instructions
Stay consistent. Consistency is the key in training a dog to do anything. It doesn't matter if it's potty training, tricks or basic obedience; you can't get the desired result out of your pooch if you aren't consistent. You can't teach your dog that some actions are OK some of the time, while not others. It's all or nothing.
Monitor your tone of voice. With dogs, it's less about what you say and more about how you say it. Body language and tone of voice are two huge factors that are often overlooked when training your dog. The two types of vocalization that you'll have to master are the command voice and the praise voice. The command voice indicates that you want the dog to follow an order, such as getting off of the couch. The praise voice is higher pitched and excited. Use it just for rewards. Only happy thoughts should be associated with this voice, as your dog will start to remember that this means it did something well.
Give your dog treats. Vary different treats based on performance. For sitting, a simple pat on the head, or neck will do. For a trick that the dog just learned, try a dog biscuit. For those times that it's absolutely necessary that your dog listen to you, it's important to use high-value treats. High-value treats consist of such things as cheese, peanut butter or jerky.
Be authoritative. If your dog thinks that you are a weak leader, it'll assume the leadership role. When the dog does, it's going to be much more difficult to train him.
Show patience. Never hit or yell at your dog. You only need positive reinforcement to train a dog to do what you desire. Hitting or yelling at a dog only makes it fear you, and once you lose that trust, training becomes more difficult.