The training of sitting up is one of the first tricks to teach and forms the groundwork for many other dog tricks. To train a dog to sit up, prepare some treats as a reward, and set your dog on his haunches in a corner, so that he cannot fall either backward or sideways and has very little or no space to lose balance.

Keep him from pitching forward by holding one hand under his chin and with the other hand hold the treat above his nose and keep repeating distinctly and deliberately say, “sit up.” Do not make him sit up too long at any one time, but repeat the lesson frequently and reward him often with plentiful of praise and treats.

During his first lesson he will require considerable assistance from your hand to prevent him from pitching forward, but as he gets control of the balancing muscles and understands what you want, he will depend less and less upon your hand to keep him in position and you can gradually render him less assistance until you will only have to keep one hand in position two or three inches from his neck or chin, so as to be ready to prevent him pitching forward; later on you can withdraw this hand entirely and simply hold the treat just above the level of his head.

By constant practice he will sit up well after you set him up; then he should be set up against the wall, so as to afford him a support for his back only, and after he has been well schooled at this and can keep his position easily, practice him against chair legs, cushions or other objects that afford him less and less assistance, until finally he learns to preserve his balance and sits up without anything to lean against.

During all these lessons the words “sit up” have been impressed upon his mind by frequent repetition, and now comes the final lesson to teach him to sit up as soon as he hears the words, and the chances are, if he has been diligently drilled, it will be necessary only to call him out in the room, show him a treat, hold it up a suitable distance from the floor, say “sit up” and he will do so, when he should be given the treat while still in position.

The only necessity to perfection is to practice him several times a day until he will sit up at the word and without being shown a reward; that can be given him after he has obeyed.

You have now a foundation for many other tricks. He can be taught to beg by moving your hand up and down just in front of his paws, which he will move in unison with yours. He can also be taught to salute by bringing one paw up to the side of his head, or to hold a wooden pipe in his mouth, or to wear a cap on his head or other articles of wearing apparel.

In teaching a dog to submit to being dressed up, do not attempt to get him to wear too many things at once; try him at first with a cap and after he becomes accustomed to that you can put on a coat and gradually accustom him to the other clothing articles.

The woman who lives in the house next door to Tom just got a new Border Collie puppy. Tom immediately gave her a print-out of my dog training book (which you can read more about at:
http://www.dogproblems.com/secretsbook.htm )

She read the book. Especially the part about using a crate to confine your puppy when you’re not home. (This is the same way you’d confine a baby to a crib or a play pen when you can’t keep 100% of your attention on your baby). It prevents your puppy from learning bad habits, and it also gives your pup a sense on security and well-being, as it brings out their natural den instinct.

Now, I make it pretty clear in my book that the crates I recommend are the kind you can buy at any pet store. They are made of a plastic shell and have a locking wire mesh-gate door at the front, and wire windows on the side. (You can ask any pet store for the “airline approved” crates).

Anyway— Tom’s neighbor thought she’d get creative. Since it was only a 10 week-old puppy, she put the pup in a tupperwear box in front of her house during the day. (Yes, she left the top off, of course). But this was in lieu of buying the crate I recommended with the locking door… so that her pup would actually be confined.

The problem was that: The puppy wasn’t CONFINED.

It didn’t take a genius dog (or even a puppy) more than half a day to figure out how to jump out of the box.

Then it was off to puppy adventures…

The puppy learned how to chew plants.

The puppy learned how to urinate and defecate in unapproved areas.

And the puppy leanred how to run into the street and play with strange, stray dogs and other animals.

Fortunately—by the second day—Tom’s groundskeeper became aware of the pup, and started keeping the pup with him during the day. When the pup started to chew on plants, the groundskeeper would tell the pup, “NO!” and then take him away. When the puppy started to sniff around and look for a place to defecate, he’d take the pup to the APPROVED area.

And then praise the pup, after doing the desired behavior. (Hey—some people are just naturals!)

And when he couldn’t watch the pup, he locked the pup in the guard shack, which has a concrete floor, is shaded and well-ventilated. This functioned as a make-shift crate, because there was nothing in the guard shack that the dog could chew on, and no way to get out. (Also, the walls were concrete, so the pup didn’t have any floor molding or dry-wall to learn how to chew.

So, that evening—after talking with the groundskeeper– Tom had a talk with his neighbor and explained why it’s so important to follow the instructions in my book and not try to get “creative” with the process of raising her pup. (Like I said—some people get it naturally, and some people don’t.)

A dog which is slow in barking can be encouraged to do so by your imitating a bark, as the chances are he will reply to it, and if you reward him he will learn to bark as soon as he hears the word “speak.”

After a dog has been taught to bark once, you can teach him to bark any number of times, for when he has learned to expect a reward after barking once and you do not give it to him he is apt to bark again or until you give him a signal to stop.

Dogs are very observing and the signal to stop barking can be so slight that your friends will not detect it, such as a movement of the foot or hand, a dropping of the eyelids or a shifting of your gaze, and if you keep up a running fire of conversation and address your dog as if he were a human being his performance will be much more impressive and perplexing.

As an illustration, if you are exhibiting your dog to an audience and want him to speak, don’t simply say “speak,” but address him something like this: “Now, Buddy, all the ladies and gentlemen present are very anxious to hear you speak.” Put a slight emphasis on the word “speak” and your dog will catch it, but it will appear to the audience as if the dog understood the entire sentence and not only the one word “speak.” Of course, when training the young dog you should use only the word “speak” and that distinctly and free from other words, so as not to confuse him.

If your dog knows how to speck on command, you can try to teach “singing” – which is to teach him to howl on command. It is not expected that your dog will produce any melody but only repeat in a mechanical way a series of whines and barks.

Teach him to “sing” in the following manner. Try to imitate a whine yourself and try to get him to imitate the noise you make and to a certain degree, reach the pitch and style of noise make by you, be it a howl, whine or bark and with constant practice, a dog can and will learn to follow your tone quite accurately.

As your dog learn to follow your barking, say “sing” instinctively to associate this action. Praise and treat plentifully during training to encourage him further. Exercise him on a regular basis will help him to learn to sing in no time on your command.

In short, if you are serious about training your dog and demand Only success, You MUST apply these principles. No “If” No “But”. Get the basic right first before you start to train your dog!

Consistency
Consistency is very important during training and correcting unwanted behavior. Always use the same “command” for a specific task you require of your dog. Don’t confuse him by using different command for the same task.

Once you’ve establish some house rules such as – keeping the cooking area out of bound to your dog, enforce them constantly. If the dog learns that he can get away with it now and then, your previous efforts will go down the drain. Lastly, make sure everyone in the family accept and enforce your rules consistently.

Timing
Timing is critical to successful training. Praise your dog whenever he is doing something right. As expected, reprimand him on the spot and to the point whenever he misbehave or fails to response to your command. Praise and reprimand that happen later will have no effect on your dog.

* There are 2 main schools of thoughts concerning the timing of correction when your dog misbehaves. I called the first school of thoughts the “Direct Approach”. It simply requires you to reprimand your dog on the spot if he misbehaves. This is more of a tangible and straight forward approach to training your dog and is easy to understand for most trainers.

I called the second school of thoughts the “Endurance Approach” as it’ll require you to ignore your dog when he misbehaves. Using the cause and effect to your advantage, this approach requires you to ignore the dog, especially when he misbehaves to seek attention and encourage you to pay attention to your dog only when he’s a good boy.

Attention Factor (Endurance Approach)
Dogs love attention and are hugely motivated by it. Unlike man, dogs do not know how to differentiate between positive and negative attention. They see things in a simple way. If a certain action gets reaction and attention, you’ll bet they repeat it over and over again. (Cause and Effect)

Unfortunately, for most dog owners, we more often than not give our dogs negative attention. For example, “Do you let him out of his crate when he groans?” or “Do you give chase when he runs off with your socks?” These are negative attentions given to the dog and is certainly motivating his bad behavior.

Fortunately, the opposite is true if you pay enough attention to your dog when he behaves himself. When the dog understands that he’ll get attention only when he’s behaving, he’ll learn that only good behavior attract attention and he’ll repeat his good behavior always.

Focus your attention on your dog only when he is behaving; praise him or give him a treat, let him know that he’s getting the attention. If this technique is used correctly, he’ll be a well-behaved dog for a long time to come. Nevertheless, this approach is probably not for the short temper and requires you to go through an endurance ordeal. Imagine your dog chewing up your sock in your presence. “Endure Dude!”

Training Mood
You need to be in the correct frame of mind before you train your dog. Never train your dog when you are under the influence of alcohol or drug. Also try not to train him if you’ve a bad day or not in the best of your mood.

If you’ve just argued with your sweetie or got a telling off from your boss earlier on. You would most probably take out your frustration on him and threaten your relationship with him in future.

You should always use a positive approach to training your dog. Rewarding him with a treat and praise will go a lot further than hitting and yelling. Dogs and puppies want your approval and will try to please you to get your praise.

Once you have taught your dog the two basic commands of “sit” and “down”, you are ready to move on to the “stay” command. This command comes in handy when you are out somewhere and you don’t want your dog to get into something he shouldn’t or to keep him contained in a dangerous situation. The steps are basically the same as for any other training with the action and command being the differentiating factor. Here’s some steps you might use to train your dog to stay:

1. Get the puppy (or adult dog) to lay down or sit (You should already have them well trained in these commands before you can expect him to stay).

2. Give the “stay” command – some people put their hand up with the palm facing the dog in sort of a “Stop” command as well.

3. Give praise no matter how long he actually “stayed”. Of course, at first the dog won’t really stay at all, but you must give the praise anyway.

4. Release him by calling him to you and reward him with praise and a treat.

5. Praise the dog no matter how long he stays in position. At first he will only stay for a short time, but as he catches on you can lengthen that time period and eventually even leave the room and expect to find him as you left him.

6. Repeat the steps 5 times. No more than 5 times or it won’t be fun! You can try again later in the day.

With so many of a dog’s happiest moments spent running, jumping, catching, and stretching, dog agility training can really help dogs age gracefully and happily.

What is dog agility training?

You’ve probably seen dog agility training on television. The dogs run a course of tire hoops, tunnels, seesaw, dog walk plank, jumps, hurdles, weaving poles, and a 3-meter A-frame. Heeling, sitting, down stays, send-aways as well as walking off leash are also included.

Who can participate?

Anyone with a dog can do agility training. There is not age limit for people or dogs. In fact, children and puppies are encouraged to take part. All breeds and sizes of dogs without a physical disability can benefit from agility training. Be sure to check with your vet before you begin agility training if you have any doubts about your canine’s fitness.

What equipment is needed?

You as the handler will need comfortable shoes and clothes that you can run in, because this is not exercise for the dog alone.

Your dog needs a leather or webbed buckle collar and a leather, nylon or rope lead of fairly long length. Do not use a chain lead; it could get caught in the jumps.

Agility Training Courses for Dogs

There are two sides of agility training for dogs. They are the obstacles and the control training. There are also tips for training your dog.

1. Obstacles. Although it seems high to many handlers, the A-frame is the best obstacle to begin training. The dog walk plank, low jump and the tunnel (dogs love this obstacle) are also excellent for training the novice dog.

2. Control training is important to keep your dog disciplined both on the agility course and off. Everybody knows that a dog must heel and sit. You must also teach your dog to know and obey different commands: to go left and right, lay down, and wait. After those are mastered, the dog must learn normal recall (returning anytime you call) and recall over obstacles. Also important is the “send away” command, making the dog go ahead you.

Tips for Dog Agility Training

• Begin training by getting your dog’s attention.

• Talk to him and offer a small treat. Coupled with the love he has for you, he’ll be all ears.

• Be sure you have the correct lead (generally 6 feet) and a comfortable collar (measure the dog’s neck and add 2 inches) for your dog.

• Give praise often.

• “Tune in” to your dog to be sure she and you are ready to train.

Teaching your puppy crate training is the first and best step in his life. It makes all the other steps in his training go so much smoother, much like a solid foundation makes for a superior wall.

Establishing you as the Alpha member of his “pack” is one very good reason for starting your puppy in a crate when he is very young.

Another reason for crate training is that dogs love predictability. To know what is going to happen in any given situation makes him happy, and more apt to be the best-behaved dog he can possibly be.

A strong crate is the very basis of good puppy training. A wire crate with a lock is the best kind. Make sure it is large enough for him to stand up and turn around. But not so large that he can roam and wander around.

A too-large crate will inhibit house breaking. A crate that is just the right size will be perceived as his “nest”, where puppies never “go potty”. They will learn to hold it if you don’t make a prison out of it.

Never leave a puppy under 8 weeks longer than one hour in his crate. He will soil it, after struggling and suffering as long as he can.

Put a nice pad in there with a bone. Start with placing a tasty treat in there, he will go in and get it. Do this several times without closing the door, let him come in and out freely for an hour or so. Praise him highly each time he goes in, make it all very pleasant.

Then when his attention is on his treat, close the door. Praise him quietly, “What a good boy, it’s ok, such a good boy!” In 10 or 20 seconds, no longer, let him out without a word, no praise, just a pat.

Do this for increasingly longer intervals, but do not give him a chance to get upset. You can do this several times the first day.

Make sure every training session ends on a happy note, this is crucial.

Once he sees the crate is his own private territory, he will go in there on his own, expecting treats and your attention. When he does, say, “Wanna crate?” with a happy face while getting his treats.

Start leaving the room while he is in there for 2 minutes and onward, gradually. When you return, don’t make a fuss, just walk over and open the crate. In 3 days he will be officially crate-trained, ready to be left alone for an hour, no longer at first. Leave him gradually longer, slowly and carefully.

Q. Why do I want a crate for my puppy?
A. Because they love it is the best reason. They feel very safe and secure in there. Here are some more:

When you leave a puppy alone, he always has some measure of separation anxiety. This leads him to any behavior that brings him comfort, which is chewing, digging, or when it is severe, voiding his bowels. When placed in a crate, he feels safe because nothing can get to him, nothing can harm him. He will sleep and chew and wait for you to return.

Crate training is the first step in being able to leave him overnight at the vet. Without it he will cry the entire time, feeling lost and abandoned. With crate training, he is sure you will return, you always do. Of course the vet’s office is strange and will cause him some anxiety, but nothing like the pure terror he will feel without experience in being locked in.

NOTE: About crate-training, do not make a prison of his crate. Do not use it as punishment. Do not leave him there for more than 2 hours, just time for a long puppy nap and some chew time. After that he will cry. Do not remove him while he is crying. This will make him think he has to cry to get out. No matter what, make sure he is being good when you open the door. He will learn he has to be quiet to get out.

Do not make a fuss when you are letting him out, just quietly open the door and take him out to potty. When he potties, praise him to high heaven! Dogs naturally do not go where they nest, but sometimes it happens. Do not scold, just clean it out with a bland face. He will learn the lesson. If possible, try to clean it while he is outside so he returns to a clean crate.

The conventional method of dog training tips and guide would be to list a series of things that you should “Do” and you might even know the A-Z of dog training! But sometimes what should be done can be said best by telling what should not be done. Hope you agree with me!

This article seeks to list 18 “Don’t” when you train your dog. The reasons for the don’ts will become evident as the lessons continue and each one is based upon the distinctive psychology of the dog’s mind.

1. DON’T punish your dog while you are angry or lack control of yourself.

2. DON’T punish your dog with the lead or any instrument of training or anything he should associate with duty or pleasure.

3. DON’T sneak up on your dog or grab him from the rear.

4. DON’T chase your dog to catch him; he must come to you or run after you.

5. DON’T coax your dog to you and then turn upon him with the whip. You will regret the deception.

6. DON’T trick or fool or taunt your dog. It is cruel and inconsistent to tease your dog to come to you when he can not.

7. DON’T punish a dog by stepping on his paws needlessly. They are exceedingly sensitive. Don’t twist his ears playfully or otherwise. Never strike him on the backbone, in the face or on the ears.

8. DON’T grab your dog or reach for him quickly. He should never fear his master, should not be made nervous by his master, and should feel that punishment given is deserved.

9. DON’T nag your dog; don’t be giving orders to him constantly; don’t pester him with your shoutings.

10. DON’T praise a dog for doing a certain act, then at a later time, scold him for doing the same act. If you permit him to bite your toes today and think it fun, do not strike him for doing it tomorrow, when you are not in good humor. Consistency is a chief virtue in dog training.

11. DON’T train your dog immediately or soon after he has eaten.

12. DON’T lose patience with a puppy younger than six months. Never throw or kick a puppy nor lift him by the head or leg or skin of the neck.

13. DON’T train him in feats requiring much strength or endurance until he is at least six months old.

14. DON’T work your dog without some short rest or play periods during training. A five-minute rest for every fifteen minutes of training is desirable.

15. DON’T permit everyone to give commands to your dog. While you are training him, he must be a one-man dog, depending on you alone to feed him and care for him.

16. DON’T consider tricks the chief end or the chief part of training. Usefulness is the object sought in all instruction of the dog. Acts that spring naturally from the dog’s instincts are to be fostered.

17. DON’T expect your dog to be a wonderful dog after a few weeks of training; four months to a year may be necessary in order to make the master proud of him, but the work is worth the effort. Training never ends.

18. DON’T jump to the conclusion that your dog is dumb. He may differ with you believing that the trainer should know more than the dog.