Here are some quick steps and videos to get you started:
Play with your dog while she’s learning to sit on a dog training leash. Have her lie down first in the sitting position. Put an appropriate quantity of treats in a bowl on top of some dry dog food, near your hand. Has your dog to fetch one from the bowl and place it in her mouth, then give her the command to sit. Once she sits, say “sit” and give her a treat.
Teaching your dog to heel is a great way to reinforce training. You do this by having her walk beside you, keeping your hands behind her, and as soon as you come into contact with her heel, say “NO.” Then give her a treat. Keep doing this over until she understands that when you say NO, she should heel.
If your dog loves to fetch, this is another great dog training trick to reinforce your commands. Have your dog sit at the edge of a two feet tall lead and call her over to you, while standing on her lead. Have the dog to walk beside you until you have her on the lead, in front of you, then point to something in the distance (like a wall, a tree, or a picture) and say “SARAH.” Give her a treat as soon as she picks up the cue and returns to her original spot. Repeat this several times and your dog will respond well to this simple trick.
Another dog training trick that will help with hand targeting is called “Cover.” This trick requires at least four people to perform. Make sure there are four corners of the room that you can designate as the dog’s covering area. Have someone stand at each corner with a treat in front of them. Ask the participant to keep his hands behind the target dog’s back, while he holds the treat above his head. The dog must be able to turn her head toward you, in order for you to give her the treat.
How to teach a dog safe scratching is simple, if you have the right tools. The tools necessary to train your dog safely are: A scratching post, a dog-proof scratching pad, dog-proof scissors, and a dog-proof scratching pad carrier. Get your dog the right scratching pad, too, like those made specifically for dogs. These pads can be found online, at dog supply stores, or in specialty pet stores. Scratching pads are useful because they allow the dog to scratch at something that they want, instead of at your feet. The pads are also useful because they keep the dog off of hard wood flooring and carpet.
When it comes to dog training, distractions are as important as obedience training sessions. When you have a puppy, distractions can include other dogs, cats, and anyone who may happen to be around at the time. To eliminate distractions from occurring during your dog training sessions, try to set up a variety of distractions. A good way to do this is by using a crate. A crate is simply a big, roomy cage that makes it easy to isolate a dog and prevent her from running off. If a dog can’t get into her crate, she won’t be able to run off to chase some new dog that walked by.
Some dogs are easier to train than others, but no dog is impossible. All dogs can be trained. And if your puppy does have behavior problems, you can try several things before resorting to yelling or disciplining the dog. You can teach your dog how to sit, stay, come, and more through the use of various methods. By using secondary reinforcers, you’ll teach her the basic skills needed to establish yourself as the alpha dog in your home.
