Do you have a new puppy or maybe an older dog that still doesn't know any tricks? Training your dog to do basic tasks is very rewarding! You will form a bond with your pet that most pet owners don't have.
Take the time to teach your dog tricks no matter how old they are.
You won't regret it! How hard is it? Training a dog to do trick or anything else isn't that difficult if you have the right information to work with.
I highly recommend getting a comprehensive guide on dog training before you begin.
Sometimes, owners can actually make their dog worse.
With improper training techniques dogs can become nervous, stressed, or even violent! With a good guide, you will definitely not make any of the common mistakes.
For great information on dog training guides, see the link at the bottom of the page.
How Can I do it? Training dogs is all about positive reinforcement.
Positive reinforcement means you reward your dog when he does something good and you ignore him when he doesn't do what you want him to do.
Eventually your dog will learn that if he does the proper action, he will get a treat! To begin training your dog to do tricks, stand in front of him with a treat and tell him the command over and over and over.
When he finally performs the trick, give him the treat.
If he doesn't perform it on his own, try to force him to perform the act, then give him the treat.
At first, your dog won't know why he got the treat.
After many many times, your dog will realize that he is getting the treat when he does the trick! He will also associate the command you are telling him with the act he is doing.
After this point, any time you say the word, your dog will do his/her trick because he knows he will be rewarded for it.
This is only the most basic technique to train a dog to do tricks! If you want to learn the better techniques available to train a dog, get a guide! They are great! You will also learn to teach your dog many other skills.