Wendy Volhard

You have many ways to train a dog, ranging from rather primitive to fairly sophisticated. Even technology has had its impact on dog training. For example, rather than fenced yards, people often now have invisible fences, which contain dogs within their confines by means of an electrical shock.Our approach to training is for people who like their dogs and have them first and foremost as pets and companions or for people who want to like their dogs.

With this trick, you teach your dog to get in a big box and eventually hide in it by laying down. The tricks you teach your dog can be simple or complex, depending on your dog’s drives and your interest. You can teach some tricks in an afternoon whereas you’ll need more time for others. With your help, each trick can be a showstopper with your dog’s personality shining through.

Every well-trained dog knows a trick or two that can impress friends and family alike. With this trick, your dog finds the right cup with the treat pea under it out of three cups. This trick is fun for both you and your dog.Needed: Three cups: You can use plastic or paper cups from your picnic basket or small disposable flower pots that new plants come in to repot later.

Teach your dog how to shake hands and high five. The trick to teaching successful tricks is sequencing. Sequencing means breaking down what you want to teach your dog into components small enough for the dog to master, which leads up to the final product.For example, if you want to teach your dog to shake hands, start by first taking Buddy’s paw in your hand with the command you want to use and then praise and reward him.

If you find you need outside help, we recommend an obedience training class where you’re instructed how to train your dog. Having taught obedience training classes for more than 40 years, we’re naturally biased in favor of this choice. A basic class usually addresses your most immediate concerns, such as not pulling on the leash, teaching the Sit and Down-Stay commands, and mastering Come.

Yes, dog training is based on common sense. However, you do need to keep in mind a few specific guidelines — the dos and don’ts — to make sure that you’re successful and fostering a healthy relationship with your dog. The following sections are here to help get you started. Dos Do be nice to your dog every time he comes to you (even if he’s just coming back from an unexpected romp around the neighborhood).

When you think of dog training or obedience, the first two commands that probably pop into your head are the Sit and the Down commands. These commands are essential to making a well-behaved dog out of Buddy. Practice a 30-minute Down and a 10-minute Sit, on alternate days, for four weeks. See the following sections for details.

The Sit-Stay command is one of the most useful commands you can train your dog to obey. You can use it to teach your dog not to jump on people and to wait before he can go in or out of a door, up or down stairs, or in and out of the car. In general, this command is essential for when you want your dog to remain quietly in one spot.