Tips & Tricks for your Companion.

2008-07-11T19:57:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wondered 'What breed of dog should I choose?' or 'How do I train my dog?' Well hopefully I can help.

Before you go to the doggie store to pick out the one that looks so cute, do some research to see what dogs will fit into your lifestyle best. Do you want a small dog or a big dog? A dog that has alot of hair or hardly any?

Different breeds have different qualities. For example, Labrador Retrievers, they are great family dogs, easy to train, they are full of energy, they're water dogs, & they have short hair. Labs are also medium sized dogs, but if you don't care what size you get then just focus on the temperament and qualities each dog carries.

A Golden Retriever has alot in common with the Labs but they have a longer coat that needs regular brushing, and they are also very active dogs that require regular exercise. So if your busy for most of the day and don't have time to walk your dog then a Golden Retriever might not be for you. Also with their size they need room to run and play, so if you have a small apartment then a Golden Retriever might feel crowded.

Lets take a look at a different size dog, a Yorkshire Terrier. They make great pets and are very loving and energetic. They have huge personalities and adapt to any situation. Since they are so small they don't require much exercise but do need regular brushing do to the fact that their hair is long. Yorkies also need regular interaction with people, but if you happen to be a busy person and don't have much time to interact with your pet then I'd consider some other breed.

Now that you have an understanding on how to choose the right breed for you lets move on to training that dog once you get them home. If you work with your dog for 15 minutes a day or more consistently then you should have your dog doing all kinds of tricks.

Here are some tips you can use for training your dog. Get some treats ready, you can do these right as I explain them!

Potty Training-
For this one you could get a bell at Walmart and tie a string on it and hang it on the doorknob, before you take your dog outside take his/her paw & have them ring the bell and say 'Gotta go potty? Gotta go outside?' After awhile of doing this they'll be ringing the bell to let you know that they need to go! But beware once they know they go outside when ringing the bell they might do it alot just to go out & not have to potty. It'll be up to you to know when your dog has to go.

When your outside keep repeating 'Go Potty!' until your dog goes & when they do, wait until they're done & praise them & say 'You went Potty! Good girl/boy!'
*If your dog goes potty inside and you catch them in the act pick them up & take them outside and say 'Go potty outside.' If you didn't see them doing it call them or go find them take them to the spot & show them say 'NO! Outside!' & then take them outside; even if they don't have to go because they just did they will get the hint that you go outside for that.

Sit-
For this I would recommend getting some treats and breaking them up into small pieces. Get in front of your dog and make sure they're facing you, say 'Sit' firmly and take your hand and push gently on her/his but until s/he are sitting then give them a treat. Have them get up again and repeat the process about 5-10 times.

Lay down-
Again I would recommend getting some treats and breaking them up into small pieces. Have your dog sit then pull their front legs outward until their in a laying down position and day 'Lay down'. Give them a treat and some praise & repeat the process. Keep this up and they should have this down in no time.

Shake-
Get some treats! Have your dog sit and then grab their paw gently and say 'shake'. Give some treats and praise and repeat. This one is relatively easy, should pick up on it fast.

Bye-Bye-
This trick is a bit more advanced your dog should learn how to shake before attempting this one. Have some treats ready. Have your dog sit and say 'shake' then when they bring their paw up don't shake it but take their paw and wave it up and down 2 times and say 'Bye-Bye'. Give them a treat and praise and repeat; after awhile leave out the shake. This is a bit more complicated but this is how it worked with my dog! Just do the motion with your own hand going up and down saying 'bye-bye'.

Stay or Wait-
Get some treats ready. This one is a bit more advanced also for some dogs just depends on what breed. Have your dog sit and hold your hand out like your halting something and say 'Stay' and back away a couple steps. This one is more advanced because their instinct is to follow you, and if they do you say no! have them sit again and say 'Stay!' take a couple steps back again and keep saying 'Stay'. If they stay give them some treats and praise & repeat. When they get good at staying you can walk into another room and trust that they'll stay right there. It takes work but it'll pay off.

Come-
Get treats. For this I recommend that your dog know how to stay. Have your dog sit & stay then back away and call his/her name & say 'Come!' & I like to point in front of me when I say it. If you dog just sits there when you say their name & 'Come!' take a treat and put it on the ground in front of you. The true test of this if your dog actually listens is if they can 'Come!' when called when around other people or dogs.

Outside and Inside-
These don't need treats their just extra vocabulary they can know if you choose. This one is easy every time you go outside or inside just say it. After awhile they'll catch on.

Upstairs and Downstairs-
This is the same thing as inside and outside. Every time you go upstairs or downstairs just say the word.

Drop-
When they have a toy in their mouth and you want it to throw again or just for them to know this say 'Drop!' as your taking their snout and pulling it open just enough for the toy to drop to the floor. Keep doing this until they do it on their own. You can have treats for this if you choose.

Remember you need to stick with it 15 minutes a day everyday can make a big difference. After awhile stop using treats eventually they need to do the tricks without a reward.

There are many many more things you can do to house train your dog, teach them special tricks, crate training, good puppy and dog manners! Dove Cresswell's puppy training & dog training online! She's a professional hollywood north dog trainer. You can also watch a FREE lesson right now on her website!

Have fun & happy training!

Dog Obedience Training

Tips & Tricks for your Companion.