Dogs are undeniably useful companions-some even have started to exhibit signs of becoming anti-social, psychotic individuals. Teaching dogs how to perform tricks is no longer like teaching kids to read and write; though there are certainly some differences. The main difference is that while kids learn by words and letters, dogs learn via actions. If you want your dog to learn a new trick, be ready to shell out a few bucks for dog training tips. They can come in the form of dog training videos or books.
These days, dog training books and dog training videos are getting popular. Both can help dog owners learn new tricks and techniques. And the good news is that you don’t necessarily have to spend thousands of dollars to train your dog. You can teach them with dog training tips that promise positive reinforcement (i.e., treats and rewards) to your dog.
One of the most popular dog training tricks today is the “Fetch”. It can be taught to your dog through dog training tricks that promise positive reinforcement. The following steps can be implemented to teach your dog to fetch:
Sit on the dog training pads. Your dog should be well-trained at sit and stay, and should be accustomed to the dog training pads before starting the new one. You may also want to have your dog trained in house training first.
Tie a leash on both ends and hold both the leash handles together while giving your dog a treat or a toy as a sign to sit. When your dog obeys, immediately remove the leash from his/her hand. Do not use any force or yelling, but remember that positive reinforcement should be followed by praise. If your dog responds correctly, give him/her a treat, or even better, a toy.
Teach your dog how to walk beside you with the leash still attached. This will help keep unwanted distractions away from your dog training session. It will also help keep your dog from wandering off while you are doing something else, such as cleaning out the living room. Remember to reward your dog immediately after successfully walking beside you.
After working on the sitting and the stay commands, it is time to move on to the next one – the fetch. Start by putting your dog in a sitting position so that you can practice lifting up the dog by its collar and then placing him on your lap. Make sure to give him a treat each time you successfully lift him up. Praise him when he completes the fetch, with a treat and lots of affection. After your dog has learned the fetch, it is time to move on to learning how to walk beside you with the leash still attached.
To start out, greet people and animals that come by your house and toss a treat over to them. Let your dog go up to these visitors and then say “bow” and give him the treat. When your dog has completed the greeting, throw the treat over to him and again say “bow.” This will confuse your dog, because he thinks he is getting a treat for going outside, when actually he is getting the treat for standing beside you. Repeat this procedure over until your dog understands that if he goes back inside, he gets a treat.
The next step in your quest to answer the question how to train your dog to do tricks is to have both yourself and your dog familiar with clicker training and leash training techniques. This will help to eliminate behavior problems before they even begin. Clickers and leashes are wonderful tools to help control unwanted behaviors.
Once you have used the leash and clicker properly for a while, and your dog has learned to stay by your side, you can start training him to walk beside you. Begin by having him sit whenever you lead him to an object that you want him to sit at. If he doesn’t sit, simply command him to “sit” again and he will follow. This will begin to build confidence in him. Start walking next to him and when he starts to turn around, immediately command him to “come” and he will follow you.
As your dog gets better at following your commands, you can start adding other tricks into your training sessions. Pay close attention to any changes in his behavior. When you notice that he has stopped learning a certain behavior, simply change back to the behavior that he is good at. Keep on practicing until all your dog’s tricks are well-known and that you can successfully perform without any training help.
