Teaching your dog to bark on command can sometimes be difficult and frustrating: It is a great fun trick to show to friends and family and can often ward off intruders as well. However, while excessive barking can often be a major problem, training the bark and verbal commands with consistency and dedication will often sharpen the dog’s natural instincts and help you prevent further intrusions. But how do you teach your dog to talk? Here are some dog training tricks to help you get started.
One of the more popular dog training ideas is to play the “books” game: Have the dog sit or lie down on a towel or blanket, then have the person say a few lines of easy-to-pronounce dog commands (such as “stay” or “heel”). After every word, give your dog a treat. The idea is that the dog should learn to bark only when asked to do so; the owner needs to emphasize the command and make sure the dog hears it, before saying it too many times. Another popular dog training trick is the “bark-a-ma-jig”: Have the dog sit or lie down next to the person and then give them a treat while barking a long, high-pitched sound. After the dog responds, the owner gives the dog a treat and continues the ‘bark-a-ma-jigs’ command. The dog learns to bark without the owner’s instruction, just because the dog has heard the command.
Another one of the more amusing dog training tricks is for the dog owner to ask their dog if they can do a trick (that is easy to say). To start, they’ll usually offer their hand and guide the pooch into standing on it. When the dog does the trick correctly, they usually give them a pat or even give them a high-pitched “ah” noise. This is all done with a lot of giggling and petting. It may be cute and funny at first, but dogs quickly get tired of being treated like this so they’ll soon quit.
If you want to stick with the dog training tips, here are some other things you can try. Start by learning simple vocal commands such as “sit” and “come.” You can begin with the words and just say them over again until your dog gets the message. Keep repeating the words until your dog gets the message and performs the trick correctly. Don’t overwhelm them with too many commands at once. Start with three or four simple commands, and gradually add more as your dog gets the hang of them.
One more tip for dog owners is to remember that dogs learn best by repetition. Try to introduce a new command or trick every time your dog performs an old one successfully. For instance, if you previously used to teach your dog to sit, you could start by calling him over again while you put your hand up in front of his nose and said “sit.” You could then take your hand down and say, “Good sit!”
You could also start using training toys to reinforce your dog training. There are many types of toys you can purchase and even videos you can watch on the internet that will help teach your dog some dog tricks. There are some great dog training books you can read as well, which have some great tips on training your dog. The best part about these tools is that they are really just extra motivation, which you can also apply to training your dog.
So which one should you choose? There are three main options: the clicker, the whisper (or use the click and then say the word Quiet) and the bark collar. Each method has its pros and cons. You will find that each one works differently, for different reasons, with different levels of success and dog training.
Clickers work best for basic training and if you are teaching your dog basic commands, such as sit or stay, then using a clicker is a great way to start. Be sure to choose one that is not too loud, so you can’t accidentally shock your dog while training. Some clickers have a vibration feature that lets you know when your dog is saying the word Quiet during training. Another good thing about the clicker is that you can use it at anytime, anywhere, even while you are away from home. If your dog begins to bark out of turn or starts to constantly barking when you are not home, a clicker is definitely the best choice to use.
