Every so often the differentiation between training discipline and constraint is needlessly confused. Using verbal commands and non-verbal clues, with leashes or snacks, to solicit wanted behavior is training discipline. Using choke or ‘stop-barking’ collars, electronic fences or barriers and related devices is for constraint or prevention of unwanted behavior.

Control isn’t of necessity harmful. Dogs instinctively have the need for and gravitate to the continuity of a community in which someone is the ‘alpha wolf’ and in a dog and a human relationship the human has to take that job. To allow the dog to establish himself as the alpha dog means property destruction, potentially threatening conditions for other dogs and humans, human dissatisfaction and a maladjusted dog.

Choke collars were developed to lend a hand in securing restraint. Dogs, exactly like humans, can be very different from each other in make up. Some are by personality more assertive or perhaps slower to get the picture. For ones that don’t perform constructively to a regular leather or nylon collar, a metal correction collar can provide an additional hindrance to lurching ahead and jumping up types of behavior.

The imminent drawback is that, used inadequately – all too simple to do – correction collars can have the opposite result to what you expected and may even be unsafe. Choke collars fit only one way and when suitably fitted should make allowance for a one to three fingers opening between the neck and the collar. Three for bigger dogs, one for smaller. Generally speaking a collar two inches longer than the length around the neck will be adequate.

Used crudely, though, choke collars can pinch the skin – resulting in lesions that scratching will make worse. They can also by mistake pinch the trachea. A fast yank-and-release does no damage; however by its construction it does cause discomfort. But for dogs that try to defy the tether this technique can be difficult to be successful with. Ordinarily, it is not recommended, chiefly for smaller dogs.

Prong collars are less menacing than they look, but – in this trainer’s view – have almost no positive properties. The only positive aspect of the construction is their restricted diameter – they can only choke down so far. Nevertheless, an animal with such a determined predisposition to pull that prongs don’t give him a second thought requires more than a quick fix consisting of choking and poking. That type of critter needs dedicated attention and behavior modification management.

Halter collars, which envelop the neck and the muzzle, but don’t stop panting or prohibit drinking and eating can give further constraint. The drawback is they don’t inhibit biting if that’s an issue. If biting is not a problem an everyday tether and collar, or maybe a chest halter might be preferable.

For assistance with those dogs that carry on in barking long after the purpose of barking is gone, consider an electronic No-barking collar. Barking is an ordinary and natural response to possible menacing events and is also used to signal distress and gain attention when one becomes isolated from the communal pack. But, for reasons we don’t completely understand, some animals bark continuously or at the drop of a hat.

Electronic collars that deter barking come in two main varieties: Shock producing collars and noise producing collars. Noise collars create a brief, uncomfortable noise that acts as a diversion and helps to prevent unrelenting barking.

Shock collars initiate a minor but startling electric shock that can be repetitive and persistent during prolonged or obsessive barking sessions. Fair and balanced investigations of their effect draw mixed conclusions, on the other hand. As with prong collars, any dog who is a candidate for one would also profit from an attentive, professional trainer.

Now and then quick fixes are appealing and worthwhile… until they become replacements for more constructive (both to trainer and dog) long-term management. Making the effort to understand how to access your dog’s focused attention and cooperativeness without disproportionate reliance on control equipment is better. The usual effect is happier trainers and more well adjusted dogs.

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The differences within the category of what we consider domesticated dogs is so extensive that it is better at times not to consider them all as the same species. Scientists do since dogs can interbreed. Since dog owners hold different objectives, it is often better to emphasize the differences rather than their similarities.

A Great Danes and a Jack Russell look act and think very differently. A Jack Russell is more hyperactive than a Great Dane. A Golden Retriever and a Collie are very different from one another. The Golden Retriever is more excitable, fun loving and friendly. A German Shepherd and a Chihuahua have absolutely nothing in common other than being a canine animal.

You will need to adapt your training technique to fit the breed of dog you intend to train, because of their differences. You will need to practice patience with all dogs while training them; however, some may need more than others will. Because, German Shepherds are very smart and take well to obedience commands they are generally easy to train. While a Jack Russell is intelligent as well, they are more willful and deserve a variation in their training.

Terriers are highly active, high-energy dogs, using distraction techniques come in quite useful with these dogs. They can spot movement in an instant and then go after any animal making the movement. It can be hard work to keep them focused; therefore, you need to keep their eyes on you. You can do this by using toys, treats or other items and then wiggling the item to ensure the eyes of the terrier stay on you.

Collies are very mellow and are trainable as well; however, they are very loyal and protective animals, which is a good thing. However, it can be a problem if your collie continually barks and tries to attack anyone they consider a threat to the family. This may be desirable at night for a watchdog; however, it can be very annoying each time someone passes your house on the sidewalk in daylight.

Under these circumstances, bark collars are sometimes required, however you should remove the collar after the sun goes down. Doing so helps the dog to associate discouragement of barking in daylight, while it should continue to function as a watchdog when you need it to do so.

Dalmatians are very strong and highly energetic they make great companions. For a dog like this to have to spend hours alone in, a small backyard with no one to play with can cause problems. You will need to take the time to help this dog use up its excess energy.

The only speed Dalmatians understand is full speed ahead. They do require a large area for running and playing. They require a master who can toss the ball far, far away and still be able to command them fully. They are loyal dogs that need a strong hand, since it takes a forceful master to be the alpha dog as far as a Dalmatian is concerned.

Adapting your training technique to fit different breeds Is essential. It is important to consider all the aspects of training dogs including their particular breed and their personal characteristics, especially when you consider that they are individuals much like humans are, and they deserve the best training you can give them.

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There is still some disagreement about whether or not crate training dogs is the right way to go. Crating a dog involves keeping them in a cage just slightly larger than themselves, usually a plastic or metal one for a time, either at night or during the day.

On the pro-crating side, people who use crate training say that it is a place which a dog can call its own ” a refuge from unpleasant sounds and the rambunctious behavior of children. As mentioned above, they also argue in favor of crating a dog as part of the housebreaking process, averring that this trains a dog to wait until they are taken outside to eliminate.

One criticism leveled against crate training is that it is unnatural for a dog to spend any length of time in a confined space where it can’t engage in its natural habits of exploring and roaming. It prevents dogs from being as active as they naturally are and is an unpleasant experience for the animal, they argue.

Those on the negative side of the debate say that crate training can be counterproductive to housebreaking your pet, pointing out that puppies especially will be unable to hold themselves back from eliminating for as long as they may be in the cage and come to think of indoors as an acceptable place for this activity, which makes housebreaking the dog more difficult.

Pet owners from both schools of thought of course have the best intentions and want to take good care of their pets. The research which has been done on crate training has given dog owners no certain answer one way or the other, but there is broad agreement that when done properly, crate training has little if any ill effects and can be of some benefit to the dog.

You’ll want to avoid keeping your dog in such a small place for an extended period of time. You shouldn’t keep your pet in the crate for more than four hours at the most. A longer time than this is uncomfortable for your dog and is also an unreasonably long time to expect most dogs to resist nature’s call.

Care also needs to be taken to prevent injury to your dog while in the crate. The cage should be examined to make sure that there are no sharp edges or anywhere that your dog’s collar can snag on the crate. Any cage you keep your dog in should be sturdy enough that it won’t tip or break even under vigorous jostling.

One benefit that fans of crate training point out is that these animals deal better with travel, since they’ve become accustomed to confined spaces and have familiar smells to comfort them in their cage.

Of course, there are many pet owners who say that unless absolutely necessary, your pets should be left at home while you travel. Most pets will be more comfortable in the familiar surroundings of their home (with a responsible person to care for them in their owner’s absence, naturally). If you do need to travel with your pet, however, make sure to keep them in a sturdy crate which will prevent anything from getting in as well as out.

There’s not going to be an agreement on crate training in the near future; that much is certain. It’s best to decide for yourself. Try crating your dog for a couple of weeks, followed by leaving the door of the crate open and let your dog vote with their feet ” do they steer clear of the crate or do they choose it as a favored spot for their naps? Let your dog have a say and you’ll have a happier pet.

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Every dog owner out there wants a dog, which is well-trained. But many dog owners have underestimated the amount of effort as well as the time which goes with training a dog properly. That is the reason why a number of totally avoidable mistakes occur which could have been done away with in the 1st place.

Dogs are definitely not furry children as some owners consider them to be. An average dog is going to have the mental capacity of a human 2-year-old, but there are not as many similarities as differences between a human and the dog. Dogs cannot follow language processing or reasoning like human beings. In the same manner, they do not understand cause and effect.

That is why plenty of new dog trainers are extremely frustrated when they suppose the dog is ignoring their command, which is being repeated again and again. Many owners consider a dog to be stubborn on one day when he obeyed his master’s commands the previous day. But the owners do not take into consideration that the dog does not understand the command so he does not know how to respond.

That is the reason why owners dub a dog stubborn or disobedient as if it was human. A dog might get distracted while training or not relate the “come” command with the behavior of the previous training session and its resulting reward. There are reasons for this particular behavior.

Dog owners and trainers have to be extremely patient. You will need to repeat commands many times for the dog to assimilate them. Sometimes the dog is not going to respond as you want it to. Many dogs take up to 2 years to go beyond the simple basic commands which they can understand.

Physical retaliation and venting your frustration upon a dog is definitely not a good response. It is going to make the dog afraid of you instead of correcting its behavior. Physical punishment should only be kept for meting out in extreme circumstances. A dog does not understand why he is being punished physically. This punishment is going to make your dog fear instead of trust you.

Dogs are just like human beings in the way that they follow people they trust instead of the people they fear. Following a person they fear is a last resort option for dogs. Dogs also have different reasoning abilities than humans. They are not going to learn from physical punishment, because they do not understand the reason behind it. That is why physical punishment is not an effective training option.

Here’s how NOT to Instruct your dog: – Forget that your dog processes information differently than humans and speak to them like they were people. – Continue to think that a dog can connect events across time and situations and come to the same conclusion as you. – Get frustrated and intolerant when they don’t act as you expect them to. Smack them for not behaving the way you want.

If you follow these ways, you are just going to have a totally maladjusted dog, and are going to be extremely unhappy with the results. So change YOUR behavior now instead of trying incorrectly to make the dog change its behavior.

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If you’ve got a dog and you don’t have the energy, time or patience to train him yourself, you may want to hire a trainer. This is an activity that requires a lot of all three qualities, if you want to have a safe, happy, well-adjusted dog and be happy yourself, too.

When it comes to hiring a dog trainer, in general, the quality and cost will vary. Training philosophies, too, will also vary considerably between trainers, focused on human and animal interactions as they are. Therefore, utilize these parameters to narrow down your selection.

Take a look at your budget and what you need in terms of obedience training services. In some cases, training may even be free, supplied weekly by volunteers who work in shelters or parks. In other cases, you may pay up to $100 or more per session. A “reasonable fee” will vary, depending on where you live, the trainer’s experience, how long the program is, and what goals you have for your pet.

Take a look at your schedule. Some training programs happen every week, others do so more often. You may have to leave your dog at the training facility and pick it up afterward, or you may opt to sign up for a program where the training involves you as well as your dog. Most training programs do suggest that you spend some time with your dog training him or her every day, either at the trainer facility or at home.

In some cases, you may want to consider a “boot camp” facility for your dog. In this case, your dog is going to go away to a special facility for a period lasting up to several weeks. This type of training is very intensive and regular. However, don’t be worried about your dog. Most dogs love this type of regimentation. Toward the end of the program, you’ll usually be asked to participate so that focus of obedience is transferred from the trainer to you.

The results of these programs are truly amazing much of the time, though. For those dogs that graduate, they become disciplined and are very eager to follow your instructions. This is true even when they’re not special service dogs. Seemingly contradictory, though, these dogs usually don’t show any ill effects or signs of repression. Instead, they are enthusiastic and play happily.

Next, take a look at the goals for your obedience training. Do you want a dog that you can enter into shows, or do you just want a dog that won’t chase other pets or gnaw on your furniture? In addition, you’ll need to consider the breed and temperament of your dog to determine what type of and how much training is going to be needed.

Some dogs are aggressive, others fearful either because they’ve been mistreated or because they’re simply submissive. The aggressive dogs may be that way because they’ve been abused or because they’re simply seeing themselves as the pack leader. The type of training you choose depends on the attributes you want to shape and how you want to influence them.

No matter what your goals are, and no matter your budget or commitment to time, you’ll want to choose a trainer who has a lot of patience and a lot of energy, in addition to a deep affection for dogs in general. Most have these characteristics in abundance, or they wouldn’t be in that profession.

Besides these things, though, you want a trainer who agrees with you in terms of philosophy and who wants to achieve the same goals for your dog that you do. Some trainers feel that dog training is just as much or even more about training the owner than training a dog, and there may be some truth to that, sometimes. Some trainers are friendly, lenient, and seek to “connect” with the dog, while others are almost military in their bearing and expect to be able to “command” the dog. Many trainers utilize a mix of both styles.

It’s likely that you’ll lean toward one training style versus another, but neither training style is entirely subjective. Even if you have disagreements with your trainer, there are likely principles that you’ll agree on nonetheless. Persistence, patience and consistency, as well as the need for the human to be in the “alpha” position, are just a few of these commonly held beliefs.

When you look for your own trainer, ask for recommendations from friends and family who share similar philosophies, and shop around. You may have to change trainers at least once if you aren’t happy with whom you’ve picked at first. Don’t change on a whim, though. One of the most important parts of obedience training is that consistency is key, and a regular environment is necessary so that the dog can integrate what’s being taught.

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A dog is not naturally stubborn, but he definitely does not understand what he needs to do. That is the reason why it is necessary for the owner to establish that he is the alpha in the house. This enforcement of proper behavior can be done by being firm and patient. And that can be seen when trying to enforce the command of ‘come’.

A dog is going to explore his environment by sniffing, digging, moving things and taking things away from one place to another. That is why one has to make sure that he does not get distracted with other objects during a training session. Other people and voices are also going to distract him so you need to do your training session in a quiet and clear backyard.

The moment the dog comes spontaneously towards you, act quickly, and reinforce the command with a hand gesture. If he moves towards you, spontaneously, reinforce “Come” with the hand movement. Make sure that the gesture and/or the word is unique and not one which is used during regular training sessions.

Start the session by putting your dog in a sitting position. Move back a number of steps while saying ‘stay’ firmly, and using the hand gesture. Correct behavior should be praised lavishly, but do not reward incorrect and partial responses.

This activity should be repeated with you stepping back. If the dog tries to come too quickly, reinforce the command of sit/stay. If the dog does not move at the ‘come’ command, entice him with a treat or a toy.

Reluctant or slow learners might need collar training or leash training. Put the dog in the sit and stay position. Start moving away, letting the leash go slack. If the dog does not obey you, tug the leash gently with the appropriate hand and voice command.

For a dog that comes too soon, use a long rope or leash and wrap it around a post or a tree. If the dog begins to lift off early tug the strap as you verbalize the “stay” command. If there are no trees around, use a friend to help with the session. The negative part about using someone else during the session is the dog can become Thrown off about who they should focus on. It’s always best if they just focus on one trainer.

One needs to be consistent as well as patient during a dog training session. Dogs do not understand the need for such commands like ‘sit’, ‘stay’, and ‘come’. Do not speak harshly to your dog if he does not obey you at the first instance. This is a counterproductive measure. You need to establish your alpha status firmly by your body language, and readiness to wait for your dog to obey the given order. Physical leading and physical punishment is not such a helpful technique.

Many dog breeds are quite willing to be trained, and respond very positively to quick praise, for proper and correct behavior. If necessary, you have to show that you are the stubborn one waiting for them to ‘come’, instead of your going to them.

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The jaw muscles of a dog are some of the strongest muscles in the animal kingdom. The Golden retriever, which is just average sized can strip and tear apart a thick Rawhide bone in just a couple of minutes. And that is why it is a pity that they can treat furniture the same way.

The chewing tendency of a dog is going to depend upon his breed and that is why a knowledgeable owner needs to know about the behavior patterns of his dog. However, chewing every object which is present in the house is a normal tendency in every existing dog breed. That is the reason why one has to focus the dog’s attention on some other object upon which they can chew. But that is quite a difficult thing to do with some dogs.

There are younger dogs (mostly puppies) that will have a greater tendency to chew with less discrimination regarding what they choose. However, even young puppies can be discouraged from grabbing things their owners would prefer the dogs stayed away from.

Foremost, it is important to point out that a little prevention can help avoid a number of problems. That is why it is wise to keep shoes, laundry and other items where dogs will be unable to gain access to them. Keeping childrens toys separated from the dog’s toys so mix ups do not occur is a good idea.

It is important to maintain an attractive variety of toys available and keep them indoors or outdoors so the dog may chew on them. Rawhide bones are very attractive to a number of dogs while other breeds will prefer hard rubber or unique plastic dental bones. With rare exception, giving the dog a real bone is often not a good idea. Oversized beef bones are usually safe, but chicken and pork bones are known to easily splinter which can lead to injury.

One should be thankful that there are other special toys, which can keep a dog well occupied. Some of them have treats hidden in hollow interiors. A dog is going to have a complete physical as well as mental workout, while getting to the treat. That is the reason why this reward at the end of the exercise is a good idea. It keeps your pet busy and stimulated.

One can also admonished the dog firmly especially when it decides to chew upon unsuitable objects. However, yelling or sharp physical punishment is not desirable. So instead of yelling at one’s dog, one needs to vent that anger and frustration somewhere else. That is not easily done, but has to be followed, for a harmonious relationship between the pet and the master.

The development of specific habits is going to take a lot of time and patience. Put the leash on the dog and the moment it approaches an unsuitable object, the leash has to be jerked sideways, and No said very firmly.

Always be sure to jerk sideways and never back. A dog’s neck muscles are very strong, but the dog’s throat can be easily bruised. Remember, the pulling movement is to inform and definitely not to punish.

A Dog might have a tendency to chew upon every exterior item outside like fences and plants. Use home recipes like cayenne pepper to coat the areas which the dog likes to chew. One may also use harmless commercial mixtures, which consist of bitter apple, a product definitely not liked by dogs.

Successful dog training can only be done with consistency, patience and a lot of persistence. The idea behind stopping chewing is not to start a new behavior pattern, but to “suppress” a natural behavior pattern.

Often, redirecting the dog to acceptable objects is the best bet since it is impossible to eliminate the dog’s instincts. That is why it is necessary to be calm and vigilant. Keep your cool even when the dog chews on the new carpet. Objects can be replaced. A good relationship with a pet cannot.

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Lots of people say that their dogs are dumb, but then they never make the connection between their dog putting a paw up on your leg and getting a treat. The dog is deliberately doing something to get himself a treat, and how dumb can that make him?

Humans and dogs have a successful relationship that goes back thousands of years, and one reason why it works out so well is because we communicate in a way that they understand. Think about what they are saying when they bring you a stick. You know that they want to play fetch, don’t you?

These are just two ways that your dog can tell you what he wants and what he is thinking and this shows that indeed, he can learn!

Remember that just like we do, dog can see and remember a lot of language and posture, but they process it very differently from the way that we do.

Their eyes will take in light and color differently than we do, and they can see in low light much more easily. Thanks to the muscles on their head, they can rotate their ears to figure out where the sounds are coming from, and let’s not forget that great sense of smell.

These basic differences will tell you a lot about how different their mental functioning is. They understand cause and effect, but it’s much different from how we understand it.

When it comes to classic consideration, where the subject figures out the connection between cause and effect, we can beat it pretty easily if it was just a coincidence. On the other hand, dogs create a very persistent relation between cause and effect.

Then look at operant conditioning, where cause and effect are reinforced through positive and negative means, and the differences become even larger.

For example, consider my Golden Retrievers. Whenever we go to play fetch, we go out the back door. Whenever I am just going to let them out for half an hour without joining them, I send them out the side door. Because of this, they know that the back door is for games of fetch and that this is where they should go when I have the ball.

When I train my dogs, I use a very specific tone and hand gesture to go along with the command. This gives them all kinds of cues and I can expect them to sit, stay down, no-bite, fetch, release, come and even eliminate at a single command.

However, on the other hand, I still cannot prevent them from eating something off of the floor because they cannot connect the bellyache a few hours later with the food that they ate before. This is just something that takes too much time.

What you need learn from this is that your pet dog, whether he is a Husky, a Retriever, a Shepherd, a Chihuahua, or a Beagle, is still a dog. He can learn all sorts of things as long as you are patient, but don’t ever expect him to understand things the way that you do.

For instance, look at dogs that can dance on command on the show circuit, or search and rescue dogs that can locate small children and pull them from swollen rivers and bad avalanches. Service dogs can do everything from opening a door to pulling a wheelchair to guiding a blind person.

Remember, though, that they are not people, and that even when they try to act like us and communicate like us, they are still going to do things like eat little dead critters they find in the yard and turn around three times before they sleep!

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Electronic fences are control devices that have both benefits and disadvantages for both the animal, in this case the dog, and humans. An electric fence is actually a set of devices that generally includes transmitters and underground wire that delivers noise, shock or foul spray by the use of a collar on a dog when it reaches the boundary. Underground, along a perimeter of around 500 to 1000 feet, is buried the wire and when the animal reaches that area, the collar receives a signal, which activates the restriction.

There are very few options when you live under the rules set by your city ordinances or your community associations forbidding you to use regular fenced-in-yards other than using an expensive electronic fence. E-fences are a good choice when there are no regular fences allowed by strict housing rules or when you do not want an actual fenced-in-yard.

There are however, many potential disadvantages.

Whether or not you have previously trained your dog, you will have to teach your dog how to handle the noises or shocks they get from an electrical fence. Your dog must understand they have boundaries as well as how to associate the boundary with the noise or shock they may get when crossing a boundary.

An e-fence system can short out from lightning strikes or any careless digging around the wire. After training your dog to associate the boundary flags with the deterrent, it is best that they be removed so that they don’t become a hazard to children playing and lawnmowers. The dog if properly trained will remember where the edge of his running space is and rarely test the limits.

While chasing prey some dogs may rush past the boundary heedless of the momentary shock. The dog may become discouraged while on the wrong side of the fence from returning on its own.

Some dog owners do not consider electric shock humane nor a great means of producing the behavior desired in their canine companion.

Life comes with risks. Dogs who are confined indoors or are always on the leash do not have the opportunities to run. Some areas have dog parks and other locations for running free which is a definite advantage, but not all areas do. Dogs have a natural, strong desire to run; when they become frustrated with their continuous confinement they can become unstable.

Large dogs can try to jump fences of standard height and can be punctured by chain links or wooden planks. Even if the wound is minor, dogs tend to make things worse by scratching and biting creating hot spots. Generally, this means a vet visit. Therefore, sometimes it is safer to use the electronic fence.

No one solution can satisfy everyone and every circumstance, every breed or training technique or every individual dog. You need to know the facts as well as any specific mental or physical health requirement of the dog you will train.

You should however, prepare to disable your fence if it seems to do more harm than good.

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Have you ever heard the saying, “Nature to be commanded, must be obeyed?” This quote is attributed to Francis Bacon and it’s never been more relevant than when training a puppy or dog. Dogs inherently know and recognize a hierarchy structure. They relate to different levels of authority within their pack-which now that dogs have been domesticated relates to their family of people, as well. The alpha is the leader at the top of the pack, while the one with least authority is known as the omega. When you have a dog, you want him to recognize that you are the alpha or leader in your family or pack.

When a dog has learned the down technique and rests in this position, you won’t have to worry about children getting bowled over or furniture getting jostled about. It also forms the building blocks for additional commands you may want to teach your dog-such as “sit,” “stay,” “roll over,” or even tricks.

You should use a straightforward approach to training a dog to obey the down command. First, watch for the dog’s natural transition into a down position. When a dog relaxes, he will naturally go from sitting to lying in the down position. You want to watch for that point when the dog is sitting and then starts to go into that position by himself.

When this happens, you want to speak a specific command and use a unique hand gesture simultaneously. This gesture should be something you would not normally do, so you must make a special effort to do it. Every single time the dog goes into this position, you should clearly issue the command and make that hand gesture. Always use the same tone of voice.

After you make the command and gesture combination, and as soon as the desired behavior occurs, give the dog lots of praise. Initially, the dog won’t really understand why he’s getting praised. But this is actually irrelevant. As you repeat this consistently, the dog will learn to associate the praise with his action following your command. And this desired behavior will be the link to that praise.

At first your dog probably won’t obey as commanded because he’s not certain what you want. So you will need to be patient and consistent. The best way to teach a new behavior is to work with the dog alone, away from other people and voices and distractions.

Positive behavior can also be encouraged by taking a treat or favorite toy and putting that item near the tip of the dog’s nose on the ground and then putting the dog into a sitting position. This is more likely to make the dog lie down by it.

Helping to focus your dog’s attention with the toy or snack, use a ‘waving down’ hand movement, with your palm pointed towards the floor. Make sure to avoid rewarding any dog with praise or a treat until the behavior is accomplished and entirely correct. On the other hand, if things don’t go the way you want them to, be sure not to become upset with the dog.

For a slow on the uptake or strong-willed dog, it becomes essential to add to the training by using a collar and leash in your strategy. Try to use a short nylon or leather lead that is, at best, about two to four feet. Put your dog in a sitting position and kneel down facing him.

Now simultaneously make your distinct hand gesture and issue your voice command while moving the toy or treat from a position by the dog’s chin slowly bringing it down to the ground. At the same time, slowly and gently pull on the leash to encourage the dog to go down. Do not tug or pull at the leash or make this a negative experience for the dog in any way.

In those really tough cases where the dog does not heed the command at once, kneel down and put the leash under one foot and then slide the loop under the knee of the dog’s front leg. Do this while facing the dog at a bit of an angle. The idea is to pull the leash loop with your other foot gently pulling the dog down. At the same time, you should gently take each of the dog’s forelegs and pull them towards you while you give the vocal command.

After the dog is correctly positioned, give him lots of praise. It doesn’t matter that you initiated this movement and helped put the dog into the position. You want to give your dog that praise so he has good feelings about getting into this position-regardless of how he does it-and he knows you are pleased with him for doing it.

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