The first step is to make a list of what your dog finds enjoyable. Your list might include dinner, playing with other dogs, being let out in the yard, going for a walk. Instead of these pleasures simply being given to the dog, make him earn them by asking him to do something before they happen. For instance ask your dog to sit, before dinner goes on the floor: don’t repeat yourself over and over, if he doesn’t sit, you walk away with the bowl and come back in 5 minutes to try again. If your dog wants to go out to the yard to play, ask for a down before the door is opened. If he doesn’t lie down you walk away and try again later. Pretty soon your dog starts paying really close attention to you and what your asking, realizing for the first time that those things he learned in doggy school are indeed good for somthing. If you don’t make things relevant for the dog and don’t teach him how to use his training you willl have an unreliable and inconsistent dog.

Think of when you were in school learning geometry. Didn’t you wonder what the heck any of this had to do with what you wanted to do ? Well, so does your dog !! Class was great mom, but what’s it got to do with playing ball, dinner and a nap ? Make your dog’s training real for him and you’ll reap the rewards of a well behaved reliable companion.

Do you ever call him to come in and then release him to go back to playing again ? Do you ever call him to come in and when he looks at you throw him a cookie and let him stay out for a while longer ? If your dog doesn’t like to come in when you call him it’s probably because nothing good usually comes of it.

You call him and put him in a crate and then leave for work, for instance. If he runs around the yard and ignores you when you call him, he gets several more minutes of freedom ! If you were a dog which would you choose ?

To get your dog to come readily try something new. Ten minutes before you need your dog to come in, go out and call his name, then throw him a cookie and go back inside. Go out about 8-10 times before you really need him and toss him a cookie and go back inside. If you are in a hurry and can’t do a training session like this then use a leash to let him in the yard so you can make him come back right away, that way you can prevent him from running off and rewarding himself. Preventing your dog from ignoring you by letting him in the yard on a leash may not directly teach him to come in from the yard quickly but it will prevent him from rewarding himself, making it easier for you to teach him more acceptable behavior.

Put the time in to teach your dog what you expect of him and stop letting him reinforce himself for ignoring you. In just a few short training sessions on a consistent basis you should see a huge improvement in your dogs enthusiam to come in from outside.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Doing agility and high jumps can be fun, but don’t start your pooch too young.  High jumps can be extremely tough on a young dogs skeletal structure.  Let your pal finish growing before you start any jumps. Excessive jumping can cause problems for your dog in his adult years, so be careful not to over do it.

When starting your pet training sessions, you may want to limit training sessions to around 15 minutes.  Keeping your training sessions short and fun will keep your dog excited and wanting more.  It’s not training to your pet, just some outside fun with mom and dad. 

With love and a lot of patience you and your dog will be able to accomplish amazing things together.

The dog in this video was trained by www.unleashedunlimited.com.  You can contact them online or by phone 512-518-8062.

• Join a dog obedience/behavior training class.
• Enlist a professional dog trainer to come to your home for private training.
• You can even self train and do all of the training on your own.

Dog training classes are usually held in a group setting. This can be a great way to get your puppy socialized, but may not be the best choice for an adult dog that has issues with other dogs.

Private training will be more expensive than group training; however it allows more one on one time. This allows you and your dog to expedite your training and learn more in a shorter period of time. Your dog will also benefit from less distraction, familiar surroundings, in a low stress environment. There’s no place like home for your dog to do his or her best.

Self training is very rewarding, and allows you to work with your dog on specific behaviors that you feel to be important. You may want to work mainly on having your dog heel when walking on a leash or harness, curb aggressive behavior or not to jump on your guests. Training on your own gives you the flexibility to work on what is best for your family. With loving patience and the help of a few training manuals you and your canine will be well on the way to a beautiful friendship.

Types of Classes you can take with your dog are limitless.  There are agility classes, clicker training, basic obedience, advanced competition, flyball, dancing, and even doga (yoga with your dog). If you have an interest in any activity, you can bet there is a class out there for you and your companion.