Training your dog is a long and rewarding process. By teaching your dog to obey you, you're increasing the quality of life for both dog and master. As with every healthy relationship, both parties need to develop an understanding of who is the boss, what their expectations are, and so on.
When it comes to dog training, psychology is simple. Good behavior needs to be rewarded, and bad behavior needs to be corrected. By rewarding good behavior, your dog will learn to enjoy obeying you, and to associate good feelings with good behavior. Similarly, your dog will learn to avoid bad behavior, and all the headaches that could cause you, and, indirectly, your dog.
But the real fun is to teaching your Dog to do tricks. Tricks are both enjoyable and extremely useful. Really, dog tricks are not much different from a person performing gymnastics, doing algebra, dancing, sinking a putt or playing the piano - all learned physical and mental skills, practiced to perfection. Similarly, dog tricks are no different from basic obedience commands. Although a lot of dogs perform obedience exercises more reliably than tricks, and a lot of dogs have more fun performing tricks than obedience commands, it need not and, indeed, shouldn't be that way. Tricks should be as precise and reliable as obedience commands - as precise as scoring a perfect 10. And basic obedience should be as much fun as performing tricks - as much fun as dancing.
The good thing about tricks is that everybody smiles, laughs and giggles - the best reward of all. In fact, in no time at all, performing the trick becomes the reward in itself, i.e., the trick becomes self-reinforcing. And the trick becomes a reward for other exercises. Asking the dog to "Give us a hug" is a great reward for a good down-stay on greetings, and allowing the dog to jump through our arms becomes a rewarding finale for a lightning recall.
If you think that your dog is past the age where it can learn tricks, you just may be incorrect. Even old dogs can learn new tricks. Of course, it is easier to start teaching your dog tricks when it is young. However, you can still teach even your older dog. You may require being a lot more patient though. You must visit a vet before you start the training. Now that your dog is all set to acquire the new set of skills, you are required to pay attention to the following things:
1. Get a good collar and a leash before you start training your dog. 2. Start with easy tricks and then move on to more sophisticated ones. 3. You can also look up and study material on how to train your dog for tricks. 4. You can alternatively consult or hire a professional trainer.
Now for the fun part, the Training. Teach your dog to SIT UP or beg: This is one trick you should not be teaching a dog that is younger than eight months of age. Before the age of eight months, the dog's back muscles are not fully developed and so it must not be made to sit.
Teach your dog to SHAKE hands: Just hold out your hand and take his foreleg, say the command 'shake' and shake its leg. Give it a treat. Do this a couple of times and the dog will begin to lift its foreleg. At that moment shake the foreleg, say shake and do not forget to give it a treat. The dog will know that it will get a treat every time it extends its foreleg.
Teach your dog to SPIN: When you say spin the dog would spin in a circle at the spot he is standing. Hold out a dog treat in your hand and in such a way that your dog may not be able to have it. Now move your hand in a circular motion and say spin while you do this. After you do it a few more of times, your dog would know that it is expected to spin when you say out that command.
Teach your dog to GROVEL: Start with the pup in a down-stay, and inch the food lure along the ground a little way in front of its nose. If the pup stands up, just try again. Alternatively, move the food lure under some low-slung barrier, such as a bed, coffee table or even under your leg. "Grovel" is helpful for dogs with creeping down-stays. By alternating "Grovel and "Down-Stay," the dog at long-last grasps the essential difference. Now of course, "Grovel," previously the problem that distracted from obedient stays, has become the reward for good down-stays.
And for the last lesson teach your Dog to DANCE: This is very fun, Instruct your Dog to sit and beg, and then raise the lure a couple of head-lengths, so the puppy dog stands on its hind legs. Once the pup can balance for several seconds, it may be enticed to walk forwards or to circle as above. Apart from these tricks, you could also teach your dog to Hide, Go to your spot, Give your paw, wave, sit high and bow. You may go about these tricks gradually and step by step. Once your dog has learnt all these, it is going to be great fun!
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