Dog training for fun and profit

Training sessions are a great way to play with your dog. And, just like playing numbers and letters games with toddlers, it抯 a great way to teach your dog whatever behaviors you want. The payoff is t...

Training sessions are a great way to play with your dog. And, just like playing numbers and letters games with toddlers, it抯 a great way to teach your dog whatever behaviors you want. The payoff is terrific, too. Your dog will know what抯 expected of her and become the companion you always wanted.

Dogs have enormous vocabularies for animals who don抰 talk. They can understand hundreds of words. Add that to gestures and different tones of voice ?your dog抯 potential repertoire is limited only by your imagination.

It抯 true that some dogs learn 搕ricks?faster than others. It depends not only on the 搒marts?of the individual dog, but also on what the dog was originally bred to do. Border Collies are often called the 搈ost intelligent?of dogs because they were 揹esigned?to work with people, taking their cues from their humans. Other kinds of dogs, such as terriers, were bred to work independently. Once you develop a training relationship ?every dog can learn new behaviors. And you抣l be able to astound your friends with your dog抯 brilliance!

Training should be a game you play with your dog every chance you get. And training sessions shouldn抰 be formal or lengthy. If you find yourself with five minutes to spare, grab a handful of dog treats and teach a new trick.

We have to 揵reak down?each behavior into small bits to teach your dog. If you want to teach your dog to 損lay dead?when you point your finger like a gun and say 揃ang!,?first he has to learn 揹own.?Then he has to learn 搑oll over.?Don抰 try to link the parts of the trick together before he knows each part well. And you can add on as you go ?you could teach him to roll onto his back and stiffen his paws ?sure to get a laugh every time.

The same goes for any other 搕rick?you want to teach. If you want your dog to give you (or anyone else) a 揾igh five?(or four, in most dog抯 cases), first he has to touch your hand with a paw. Then you can move your hand up, gradually. One day he抣l be leaping into the air to deliver that 揾igh five!?/P>

Your dog loves you. He loves spending time with you and he adores being the focus of your attention. A couple of five-minute training sessions every day will make a huge difference in his behavior and in your relationship. Keep training sessions short. Keep them happy. End on a positive note. And be patient. She can learn if you抮e willing to teach.