Tricks to Teach your Dog

If your dog already knows some basic obedience commands, such as Sit, there are many tricks to teach your dog. Most people enjoy letting their dog show off a little for family and friends, and dogs like the praise and attention they get from doing a few tricks in front of people. So, everybody wins.

One of the easiest and most enjoyable ways to teach your dog tricks is by using clicker training, or positive reinforcement in general. You can obtain a small clicker for $1-2 from a pet store. When you begin to train your dog you will click the clicker when he does something that resembles what you want him to do. If you want your dog to bark on command you will click when he barks and reward him. Your dog won’t know what he did to get a reward but if you do this several times, adding the “Speak” command, your dog will quickly be barking on command. In fact, he may be barking too much trying to get a reward, so you will only reward him when you give the Speak command. He will get the message that he has to wait to be asked to bark before barking. Just like that you’ve taught your dog the trick of barking on command. (Incidentally, you’ve also taught your dog to be quiet when you don’t want him to bark, at least some of the time.)

One of the old time running tricks to teach your dog is to rollover. Your dog needs to know the Down command. When he is in the Down position (lying on the floor, looking at you), wave a toy or treat near his nose and encourage him to follow the treat with his head as you wave it over him and toward the floor. As his head follows the treat or toy his body should roll over in the same direction. When he has successfully rolled over give him the treat or toy as a reward and add lots and lots of praise. Repeat this a few times with the command Rollover. Most dogs catch on very quickly.

You can also teach your dog to shake hands. It’s not hard to do. One of the easiest ways to do this is by placing a small treat between the thumb and index finger of your right hand (the shaking hand). Get your dog’s attention with this hand. He will initially nose your hand for the treat. Don’t give it to him. Eventually he will paw at your hand to try to get the treat. That’s what you want. When he paws at your hand say, “Shake” and give him a treat with your other hand. Don’t give him the treat in your right hand. Repeat this a few times and your dog will be offering his paw to you to shake. Gradually you can do the trick without any food in your right hand. Your dog will probably start offering his paw for a shake every chance he gets, hoping for a treat. You don’t have to give him a reward every time after he has learned the trick, just sometimes to keep his interest up.

With all of the tricks to teach your dog out there’s no end to what you and he can learn. Dogs are extremely smart. There’s a dog in Germany who knows the names of 200 dog toys. When his owners give him a new toy and ask him to fetch it he can figure out which toy it is by the process of elimination. Dogs are really smart! So have fun researching more tricks to teach your dog.

Training Collars for Dogs

Choosing training collars for dogs can be confusing. There are many kinds that serve different purposes. The one you choose for your dog will depend on the kind of training you intend to do. Will you be practicing traditional obedience? Do you favor clicker training? Will you be hunting with your dog? Do you lure course? Because there are so many kinds of training, trainers and dog people have developed many kinds of dog training collars.

For traditional dog training purposes many people still use the choke chain collar. This chain link collar, used correctly, should not harm your dog. However, if yanked or cranked up, it can damage your dog’s throat. The collar should be placed on your dog with the loose, sliding side which attaches to the leash on the left side of your dog, under his ear, assuming you and your dog are facing the same direction. When using a chain choke collar you should pull and release the pressure on the collar quickly, not savagely. Your dog only needs a quick correction. Choke collars should be the size of your dog’s neck plus two inches.

You can also use flat nylon and leather collars as training collars for your dogs. These collars may be used for obedience work that depends on positive reinforcement, such as with clicker training. They are also fine for agility and for basic work in the field. If you are using a flat nylon collar for basic field training most people prefer to get one of the neon colored ones to make it easier to see their dog in high grass.

For advanced field work some trainers will use hunting training collars. The collar delivers a small zap to the dog at the handler’s discretion. The handler can use the collar to correct the dog in the field if, for example, he starts to chase birds instead of holding a steady point. Bear in mind that these collars are generally used with advanced, fully-trained dogs who may be testing boundaries to see what they can get away with. Using such collars with untrained dogs is usually counterproductive and may ruin young dogs. These collars can work at a great distance which makes them practically the only way to correct a dog in the field.

Pinch collars or prong collars are often used as training collars for dogs by people who lure course and by people in other dog activities. If you’ve never seen dogs preparing to lure course, such as Salukis or Whippets, to say they are excited and on their toes is an understatement. Owners need to have extreme control of their dogs prior to these events and prong collars give them that control. Prong collars should not be slipped over a dog’s head since the prongs could injure the dog. Instead, you unsnap one of the links in the middle of the collar. To put the collar on, you place the collar around the dog’s neck and snap the links together. You can adjust the collar’s length by adding or removing individual links. These pinch collars should fit somewhat snugly for proper control.

Any dog collar or other piece of equipment is subject to being misused, or even misunderstood by the public. With proper use of all of training collars we have discussed they will remain legitimate pieces of dog training equipment used for specific purposes by people who love dogs. When you choose your own dog training collar you should decide what kind of training you’re going to do, what you will need it for and choose appropriately.

Training an Adult Dog

Many people today are facing the challenge of training an adult dog. Whether they have postponed training their own dog or they have gotten an adult dog from an animal shelter, lots of people have adult dogs in their homes and those dogs have some of the same issues as puppies and younger dogs. They need good manners, they need to be house-trained, and they need to develop good social skills with other dogs and people. But there are some special considerations to take into account when you’re training an adult dog.

Depending on his circumstances, an adult dog may be carrying some emotional baggage that could affect the way you attempt to train him. For example, there’s a big difference between taking in your Aunt Sophie’s dog when she dies — a dog that has been loved and well-cared for all his life, and taking in an adult dog that may have been abused. Aunt Sophie’s dog may be sad and depressed but, with time, he will adjust to a new life with you. An adult dog that has been abused will need a great deal of rehabilitation. Such a dog may be fearful of certain people and may have problems with separation anxiety, at the very least. Training for these two dogs will be very different. So, it’s necessary to find out as much as possible about the adult dog you wish to train.

Depending on their age and condition, adult dogs may also have some aches and pains. You will need to make sure they are physically up to training. Arthritis in their hips or other problems could make things like sitting and some of the other obedience exercises more difficult for them. Observe the  dog and see if they have any difficulty with movement or with getting up and down from a sitting or lying position. If you’re getting an adult dog as a new dog it’s a good idea to take him to the vet for an exam to see if he has any problems you should know about. The vet can prescribe any meds that might help him live more comfortably. Many people give their dogs supplements like glucosamine-chondroitin to help lubricate their joints.

With all of these provisions, there is no reason why you should let anything stop you from training an adult dog. Dogs that are older CAN learn new tricks. Many dogs will relish the time and attention you devote to them. They have a mature attention span instead of the short attention span of a puppy. If you have an adult dog and are giving him a second chance — perhaps he’s had a bad home previously — most dogs seem to be aware of their good luck and they try very hard to please their new owner. Training these dogs is often very easy. In these cases the dogs have just had some bad luck with their previous owners.

If you have an dog with a real behavior problem, your dog may take a lot of special attention and work on your part. If it’s a problem like aggression then your dog has built up this problem over the course of a lifetime and it will not be eliminated easily. If you have problems training an adult dog like this then you may need to consult a professional dog trainer. It’s better to consult a professional than to risk your dog harming someone.

Training an adult dog can be very challenging but also very satisfying. Older dogs seem to take pride in their accomplishments and enjoy pleasing their owners. Consider your older dog’s background, health and individual needs when you train him and you should both enjoy your training.

Teaching Your Dog to Come

Teaching your dog to come is not hard  but it does take lots of practice.  The goal is to have your dog come to you reliably under any and all circumstances.  That’s what makes it difficult.  Dogs are constantly faced with all kinds of distractions.  They hear things, see things, smell things — many more things than we notice — and any one of these distractions can lure your dog away from coming to you when you call.  Yet this dog training command is vitally important.  Having your dog come to you promptly on command, no matter what he’s doing, can save his life.

You can begin teaching your dog to come with a long leash in your living room or any other big area in your house.  It’s good to start working on his recall in a confined area so he is most likely to want to obey you.  It makes things easier for both of you.  You want to begin teaching him the command with as few distractions as possible around you.

In the beginning all you need to do to is to say “Come” and move away from your dog.  You can praise and encourage him to come toward you.  As he approaches ask him to sit.  Then reward him.  Repeat this exercise and you are on your way to teaching your dog to come.  When he begins to do this exercise reliably you can increase your distance away from your dog to 8-10 feet.  Tell him to “Come.”  If he doesn’t stop what he’s doing immediately go get him and back away with him to the original place you called him from.  Tell him to sit and then praise and reward him.  Repeat the exercise from 8-10 feet with him coming when you first call him.  He should be coming on his own.  You can slowly increase your distance away from your dog.

Once your dog is reliably coming to you when you recall him from 10 feet or more you can start to make a game of it, sending him back and forth between yourself and another person.  You can bounce a ball for him to get, bringing him to you with the Come command.  Make sure your dog always connects the Come command with positive things.  Don’t use “Come” to get your dog to come to you to have his nails clipped or to get a bath.  Use other command works for things your dog finds unpleasant.  “Come” should always be pleasant so your dog will not hesitate to go to you when you use the command.

You should also practice using the Come command under more difficult circumstances to “proof” your dog, such as when he is excited and interested in doing something, or trying to get at something he can’t reach.  Your dog is less likely to listen to you at these times so this is a good test of how well he will obey the command.  He may ignore you so you may have to repeat the exercise several times.  When he does Come when you call him during these difficult tests you can let him have what he wanted as a reward.

Once your dog can do these exercises reliably at your house it’s a good idea to try them at other indoor sites, such as a friend’s house to be sure your dog will safely come in other places.  After wards you will be ready to start trying them outdoors in a fenced yard, still on leash at first.

Eventually you will use longer leads and go to places like parks where there are lots of distractions.  Only when your dog is doing reliable recalls on long leads in enclosed areas will you move on to trying teach him to come to you when off leash. It will take a lot of practice before your dog is doing the recall reliably and ready to work off leash in open areas but that time will come.

Stop Dog Jumping

Chronic jumping can be very annoying.  As you probably already know, a jumping dog can not only knock you down and knock things out of your hands, but he can also ruin your clothes with muddy paws.  Since many dogs like to jump on you as soon as you come home it’s a little like being ambushed at the door.

People can be hurt by jumping dogs so it’s a very undesirable habit.  Many times the dog is quite clueless that what he’s doing is wrong, no matter how many times you try to correct him.  It’s usually very enthusiastic, socially bold dogs who become chronic jumpers. They’re so eager to show their happiness at seeing you that they will jump up on you no matter what you do.  Some people assert that these dogs are also showing dominance by jumping on a person.  Indeed, it does seem to be dogs with more dominant personalities that enjoy jumping up.

The behavior usually begins when a dog is a small puppy and it’s best to try to stop it then if possible.  But whether dealing with a puppy or an adult dog there are two basic approaches to stop dog jumping. With one approach you ignore the dog and deny him the attention he is seeking by jumping up on you.  With the other approach you teach your dog a more positive behavior to take the place of jumping.  There are lots of variations of these two basic approaches and many of them are very effective at stopping a dog jumping.  We’ll discuss a few of them.

One way to deal with your dog jumping up on you is by turning your back on him.  Say, for example, that you come in your front door and your dog jumps on you.  Your response would be to turn away from your dog without speaking to him, without touching him or acknowledging him at all.  Ignore him completely for a few minutes.  If he jumps on you again, continue to ignore him.  If he sits or calms down go ahead and pet him.  Tell him he’s a good boy (or girl).  One reason dogs jump on people is to get attention so ignoring your dog when he jumps denies him what he’s looking for.  He will learn that he only gets attention when he sits calmly.  Of course you will have to repeat this experience a number of times before your dog understands the lesson.

Jumpers are very enthusiastic and it’s not easy for them to give up their habit.  It helps if everyone in the household is teaching your dog the same lesson.  Have everyone ignore the dog when he jumps on them.  Don’t get angry when the dog jumps on you either.  Anger is just another kind of attention so the dog is getting what he wants.

You can also try throwing your dog off balance when he jumps on you.  Choose a time when your dog is likely to jump up on you — again, when you come in the door (a favorite time for jumpers).  When your dog jumps on you walk toward him.  Your dog will likely lose his balance, making jumping less fun.  Don’t move backwards.  That will pull the dog into you.

The other main approach to teaching a dog not to jump on you is to teach him a better response.  Make sure your dog already knows the Sit command.  When your dog attempts to jump on you tell him to Sit.  If he actually sits (he may not), reward him and praise him lavishly.  He has done a very good thing when faced with huge temptation to ignore the command.  If he does not sit, move away from him and tell him again to sit.  When he finally does sit reward him and praise him.  You may have to repeat this exercise many times to reinforce the idea that your dog should sit when he feels the urge to jump, but eventually your dog will get the right idea.  Try to keep your patience when you teach this exercise.  It may take a while.

There are other, more severe ways to stop a jumping dog but these simple exercises will work with most dogs given enough time and patience.  When you want to stop dog jumping it takes a little time and effort but the benefits are well worth the work.

Stop Dog Digging

The challenge of how to stop dog digging may have up if you own a dog and you have a yard. Whether your yard is just unsightly or you have tripped in one of the holes your dog has dug, digging can be a serious problem. It’s even worse if your dog tries to dig his way under your fence. He could be putting his life at risk.

So, how do you stop dog digging? It’s not easy. For some breeds, such as the terriers, it’s what they were originally bred to do. For almost any dog, if they smell something interesting under the soil, they can seem to become possessed when it comes to digging a hole to find what’s in the ground. And if you have an escape artist who is smart enough to try digging his way out, you’re in trouble.

If you have a dog who is addicted to digging, as some people do, you may want to consider giving him his own small plot of ground in your yard. Some people set up a sandbox or other area which is dedicated solely for their dog’s use. He is allowed to dig to his heart’s content in this area without reprimand. Help him get started using the sandbox by half-burying some safe bones or his favorite toys in the sand where they will be easy for him to find.

If you have a garden of your own, you should fence it off so your dog cannot get to it. Not only will your dog be likely to dig in it but some kinds of mulch, such as coconut mulch, are poisonous to dogs. If you have planted things like tulip or daffodil bulbs in your yard, which can be poisonous to dogs, and your dog persists in bothering them, you can place them in a small wire container and plant the container. The bulbs will still mature inside the container and your flowers will grow without your dog being able to bother them before spring.

If your dog is digging throughout your yard and leaving big holes some people recommend filling in the holes with rocks or gravel so the dog will be less likely to go back and dig there again. Other people suggest filling in the holes with dog poop, which also discourages the dog from digging there — though it may not please your neighbors.

If your dog spends his time trying to dig under your fence the best thing to do is to reconcile yourself to the fact that you need to call the fence people to come out and dig under the fence and probably pour concrete along your fence line. You can try to shore up the particular spots in the fence where your dog digs but it’s likely that he will find soft spots where he can dig out and get loose. You can save yourself a lot of aggravation and worry, and possibly your dog’s life, by going ahead and pouring concrete along the fence. Or you can bury the fence a foot deeper.

Some people prefer to attach a few feet of chicken wire along the bottom of their fence. Dogs don’t like the feel of it and it may stop the digging in these spots.

If you are determined to stop the digging you may consider setting up a sprinkler system with the sprinklers aimed at places in the yard where your dog digs. Getting hit with the water while digging may be unpleasant enough to deter some dogs — but probably not all.

Sometimes it’s easier to accommodate a dog who loves to dig instead of completely stopping him. How to stop dog digging may not be the right question. Instead you could ask, How do we live with a dog digging?

Stop Dog Chewing

Most dog owners have come home at some point to find some treasured item chewed to pieces by their beloved pet. It could have been shoes or a remote control, or a cellphone or something personal. Or, like one poor man, it could have been the Super Bowl tickets that the Fed Ex man slipped under his door. His Labrador thought they tasted delicious. Learning to stop dog chewing becomes an important issue for many dog owners.

There are several methods used to stop dog chewing and it’s usually best if they are used in combination. If your dog is a chronic chewer and tries to taste many things in your home, such as your furniture or the woodwork along your walls, you can begin by coating the things that tempt him with some kind of bitter agent. Pet supply stores and pet catalogues sell ointments and sprays for this purpose to make things taste bitter or bad to dogs and discourage them from wanting to taste them. You simply spread the ointment or spray on the places where your dog has been tempted to chew (or where he may be tempted). This discourages many dogs from using their teeth where they shouldn’t. Bitter apple is a flavor that is often used for this purpose.

If your dog is more apt to chew out of frustration or boredom, such as when you leave him alone in the house, you can consider crating him when you must leave him alone. Crating has many benefits, including keeping dogs out of trouble when you’re away. It also provides a dog a quiet, restful environment for short periods of time. Most dogs sleep or relax when crated. You can provide your dog with his favorite toy and some safe chews when he’s crated. Remember that crates are not intended to be used for extended periods of time.

If your dog is more of an opportunistic chewer — chewing things when they are left in easy reach for him — the easiest solution is for you and your family members to try to remember to put things away where your dog can’t reach them. Many dogs, long after the puppy stage, will still chew up a remote or a pair of eyeglasses if they are left conveniently at nose level. One way dogs explore the world is through their mouth and with their teeth. And anything that has your scent or a family member’s scent on it will be tempting for your dog.

You can also stop dog chewing in general by making sure your dog gets plenty of exercise. Tired dogs are less apt to get into trouble. They are not as likely to explore and look for things to chew on.

If you do leave your dog loose in the house make sure that he has plenty of his own things to chew on, such as Kongs and other safe chew toys. Give him toys that will keep him busy, such as Buster Cubes, which make him have to think to get the treat inside. These chews and toys, in many cases, keep a dog busy so he doesn’t think about chewing your things.

Being able to stop dog chewing can be challenging because there are different reasons for it in different cases. Some dogs are much more prone to it than others. But if you follow the suggestions in this article you can, hopefully, stop your dog’s chewing.

Stop Dog Barking

Vocal communication is natural to dogs, just as it is to humans.  Our goal shouldn’t be to completely stop dog barking.  There are times when barking is a positive thing — when they warn us there’s a stranger at the door, when the house is on fire, when your dog “speaks” to you.  However, you do need to know how to stop dog barking when he is barking all day while you’re at work, bothering your neighbors; or when he won’t stop barking at squirrels.

Dogs bark for a lot of different reasons. Your dog can bark from boredom, from frustration, from anger, fear, because he’s lonely or because he’s hungry, or from some combination of these reasons.

Many dogs get into trouble with barking during the day when their owners are at work.  They may be either indoor or outdoor dogs, but they bark continuously.  They may literally be barking to hear themselves bark, as a way to entertain themselves.  These dogs are usually barking mostly out of boredom.  They may also be lonely.  You can help this kind of barking by making sure your dog has plenty of toys at his disposal and safe things to chew on.  It also helps if you can come home during the day to break up your dog’s boredom.  If it’s not practical for you to come home during the day you may wish to consider hiring a dog sitter to check on your dog.  A dog sitter can spend some time with your dog or take him out for a walk.  Doggy daycare is another possible solution, where you can take your dog to spend the day in the care of a professional who watches over a number of dogs.  The dogs spend the day playing and resting and don’t have the problem of being bored — or of barking and annoying your neighbors.

If your dog is barking out of boredom you should also make sure he is receiving plenty of good exercise when you spend time with him.  Let him play to the point of near exhaustion.  Dogs who have an active play life are more likely to sleep peacefully at home when you must leave them.

Your dog may also bark out of frustration.  This usually occurs when there is something your dog wants and can’t reach.  It could be a bowl, a toy, another dog, or squirrels in trees.  You may or may not be able to do something about frustration barking, depending on whether the item is something you want your dog to have or something you can give to your dog.  If your dog is addicted to barking at squirrels or a neighbor’s cat it may be difficult to make him stop.  If something or someone is teasing your dog and making him bark — such as neighborhood children — you should certainly take steps to make them stop.  If other people are allowing dogs to run loose in the neighborhood your dog will probably bark at them both as warning and out of frustration in not being able to reach them.  That’s an animal control issue.

You can teach your dog to stop barking and come to you when he’s barking at cats or squirrels, but it requires a great deal of patience.  Your dog may not like to give up barking at something he may consider to be prey or an intruder.  It’s best to begin by making sure your dog is reliable on the “Come” command, which can be taught with a long lead (15-20 feet).  You can teach the “No Bark” command indoors, using a clicker.  Let a friend do something that makes your dog bark, such as ringing the doorbell.  When your dog barks ignore him.  As soon as he stops barking, use the clicker to mark the behavior, praise him and give him a treat, saying, “No Bark!”  Do this several times until your dog begins to associate the clicker, praise and treat with the “No Bark!” command.  Your dog will begin to catch on.  You can transfer the “No Bark” command to other things that make your dog bark indoors.  Once your dog is secure with the command you can start trying it outdoors where things are less under your control.  Finally, you can put the “No Bark” command together with “Come!”

To stop dog barking can be challenging, particularly since dogs can bark for so many different reasons.  Once you discover why your dog is barking you can take the best steps to stop it.

Stop Dog Aggression

It’s debatable whether or not there is more dog aggression today than there used to be.  There is certainly more media attention given to the problem.  And more people today own dogs than ever before, so the law of averages predicts that there will be more incidents of dog bites and dog aggression.  All of these things leave many people wondering how do we stop dog aggression?

Proper socialization of puppies from a young age ensures that they will learn good social skills and proper human-canine boundaries.  Good socialization helps puppies learn how to live in a home and how to function in the human world.  It helps them learn how to get along with people appropriately without nipping or play biting or growling at people.  Properly socialized puppies have not been abused or neglected and do not react with fear around humans.  They are not excessively territorial.  Good socialization helps puppies become confident, friendly adult dogs without aggression problems.

Ideally you should bring home a new puppy between the ages of 8-12 weeks.  Some toy breeds may need to stay with their mothers close to three months to get a good start in life because of their small size.  If you are obtaining a puppy from a reputable breeder your puppy should already have received some socialization.  He should be comfortable around the people in the home.  He should enjoy being petted and not be shy.  He should be familiar with many common household sounds and objects.  All of this early socialization in the home provides a good foundation on which you can build.

If you are obtaining your puppy from a shelter or rescue you may need to get him up to speed on some of his socialization.  These early weeks are a crucial time.  Make sure that you spend plenty of time with petting and cuddling.  Introduce him to things in the house.  Introduce him to people who come to your home.  If he is frightened of anything show him that there is nothing to be scared of.  Make a game of everything and show him that it’s fun.

You can continue your puppy’s socialization by taking him out to meet people and friendly dogs as soon as he has his second set of shots.  Don’t allow him to play with dogs who have not been vaccinated or to pick up things to eat that could disagree with him.  Otherwise, let him explore new things and be a little dog.  You do want to keep him on a leash to keep him out of trouble and control the situation.  But the more new things your puppy can see and learn about, the better for him.

Pet supply stores are a good place to go, as are parks where your puppy can meet friendly people who will pet him.  You can also take him to a dog park where he can play with puppies and dogs his own size.  When it comes to how to stop dog aggression, you want to start from a young age letting your puppy meet and mingle with other dogs and lots of people so he is well socialized.

Aggressive dogs are usually those who are unsocialized, living at home without contact with other dogs and people — the equivalent of a shut-in.  The more your puppy (and dog) gets to see of the world in a safe, controlled situation, the more well-adjusted he will be.  Dogs have to learn manners just as people do, and they can only learn good manners by interacting with people and dogs.

You may also consider taking your puppy to puppy preschool or puppy kindergarten classes.  Even if you are not interested in obedience training for your puppy these classes are a great way to provide opportunities for socialization for your puppy.  They are often offered by kennel clubs, pet supply stores and animal shelters.  You can also ask about other classes these places may offer for dogs.  Any kind of class for owners and their dogs that lets you get out and meet people and dogs can be a good way to continue your dog’s socialization.

Any dog can develop problems with aggressive behavior, not just dogs of certain breeds.  Aggression has everything to do with how a puppy is raised from birth and how it is socialized by its owner.  When you think about how to stop dog aggression, think about stopping it before it begins.

Reinforcing Positive Behavior

When you hear the phrase “reinforcing positive behavior” it sounds rather scientific and vague, but it’s actually something you probably do with your dog everyday. If your dog brings you a ball and you throw it for him you have reinforced positive behavior (unless you hate to play ball with your dog). Your dog has brought you his ball (positive behavior) and you have reinforced it by throwing the ball for him (the reward). You can frame many of your dog’s behaviors in this way and it becomes easy to see how you can train your dog to do things without resorting to punishment.

Reinforcing positive behavior is a very popular training method because it accentuates and rewards the positive things that a dog does. Whether you use a clicker to mark the desired behavior or something else, reinforcing positive behavior depends on the dog’s own behavior. When the dog does something that you desire him to do you should let him know, in some way, that’s the desired behavior. Many people use the clicker to “mark” the particular moment when the dog does the right thing, but you can use anything you like that the dog will understand. Once the dog does what you want him to do, even by accident, and you have “marked” the behavior in some way, you give your dog a reward. You repeat the exercise with the command. After doing this a few times the dog knows exactly why he is being rewarded and repeats the desired behavior himself.

One of the interesting things about reinforcing positive behavior, especially with using a clicker, is that the dog begins to associate the clicker with learning. After learning a few things by means of the clicker he knows, when you click something for a new exercise, that you’re asking him to learn something, so he begins to try to figure out what it is you want him to do. He learns faster and faster.

Reinforcing positive behavior is part of what is called “operant conditioning.” Operant conditioning was a theory of B.F. Skinner’s, but it was applied to animals and developed by Marian and Keller Breland for work with dolphins in the 1940-60s. Virtually any domestic animal can be (and has been) trained using clicker training and positive reinforcement.

Prior to using positive reinforcement most dog training relied on correction and punishment. This method is still taught in some places and in some obedience classes. Some dogs respond better than others to this old method – and some do not learn well at all with this approach. Another approach to dog training is the so-called “dog whispering” style of training in which the owner is supposedly the “alpha” of the dog’s pack. This method has been largely discredited by canine behaviorists. According to one source humans are not members of a dog’s pack. We’re more like gods to our dogs. So, to have a human treat a dog roughly, like another dog in a pack, is a traumatic experience for a dog and can destroy our relationship with them.