Learning how to train a dog like a dog is not always easy but can be very rewarding. Here are some quick tips and videos to get you started: Once your dog becomes accustomed to doing some of these easy tricks on command, then you can start to challenge him with harder tricks. Each dog will learn new tricks as they go along. Here are some of the dog training tricks listed below:
Clicker Training A dog training trick that is really effective. You have to click a treat over your dog’s nose. When he obeys, give him a treat and praise. This is called positive reinforcement and works well in this case. The idea behind clicker training is that you are rewarding your dog every time he responds positively to your commands.
Dog Whispering This is how you train a dog to lie down next to your legs while you walk by them. To do this, you have to use the verbal instruction “lying down” and your dog should immediately lie down. If he doesn’t, use the command again and give him lots of praise. Repeat several times before allowing your dog to lie down.
Gentle Leader Training This involves you gently pulling your dog onto your leg. Your dog will quickly respond to the command and begin to go where you lead him. Be sure not to pull too hard on his leash or he will become confused. Once this training method is mastered, you can take your dog out for a long walk and he will always go where you take him without any confusion.
Bonnie Says This is something that many dog owners seem to struggle with. You try to gain control over your dog by yelling at him and using harsh words. After a while you get tired of this and try saying something like “Good dog!” This may work for a few minutes but don’t count on it working for very long. Try it on several occasions until Bonnie finally lays down. After doing this a few times, she will respond to your commands and begin to go where you tell her.
Clicker Training This is a simple technique to teach your dog to respond to your commands by giving him a treat each time he complies. Begin by having your dog on a leash and then click him with the clicker. Then remove the leash and immediately give him the treat. Reward with more treats as he continues to comply. The dog may not always go where you want him to, but every time he complies will earn him a treat. Do not punish him for not complying with your training.
Gentle Leader Training Using a gentle force to push him into compliance works best. If you don’t want to resort to violence, there are other ways to get your dog to follow your commands. Have you ever seen a dog that wasn’t obedient and did not do what you asked of him? Those dogs were either scolded severely or they were made to walk near a dog-drawn carriage. If you don’t want your dog to be one of those dogs, you need to use a gentle, consistent pressure instead of hitting or shouting at him.
Playing games with him can also help with getting him to behave well. You can teach him to sit with the clicker and then give him treats every time he stays in his place. For other behaviors you may need to take outside, you could play hide and seek, or you could toss a bone or a soft toy into his general direction every time he fails to follow your command. Be patient with your dog and reward good behavior with treats and praise. Don’t yell or scream at him or anything else, as this only makes your dog fearful and will only cause him to have more behavior problems. If he does something you don’t like, simply ignore it until he stops his behavior.
