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When man took the dog from the wild as his companion,
the necessity for training arose to make life together tolerable. Every civilized dog should know at least five basic commands:
heel, sit, stay, down and
come. If you do not teach your dog these basic commands,
you are heading for trouble. Remember it is your responsibility to train your dog. No dog can become a well-behaved member
of the household without training. Training gives you a more controlled dog at home and in public, who neither bothers the
neighbors nor balks at grooming procedures: it stimulates the dog's intelligence and lends stability to his life by letting
him know what you expect of him. In an emergency, training can save your dog's life. The five commands: Heel, Sit, Stay,
Down and Come, are the core of the exercises required for a Companion Dog Degree in American Kennel Club Novice Obedience
Competition. They comprise the minimum
requirements to make a dog a true
companion. Home training does not demand the amount of precision that goes into training for competition. Both however, are
based on making one thing absolutely clear to the dog: he must learn how to obey you instantly, with one and only one command. A sure sign of a barely trained dog is the repeated command, almost
always delivered in a rising voice filled with panic which is only reluctantly, if at all, obeyed by the dog. 
Foundation for Training Dogs are like young children. They are curious and investigative.
They test the world in a variety of ways. Once your dog knows you are the source of it's needs and wants, he will experiment
with different methods of attracting your attention until one or several bring results. You must channel these natural inclinations
into paths that you desire, those acceptable to you and later those actually useful and helpful. Thoroughly pragmatic in nature,
dogs use modes of behavior which, through minimum discomfort, yield maximum results. Thus, if your dog learns that he gets
what he wants by constantly whining (the
child analogy holds remarkably well here), he will whine. If he learns he gets attention through refusal to eat, he will refuse to eat. If he learns that
relieving himself on your carpet brings less discomfort through discipline than the discomfort of waiting to go out, he will
shower the carpet. But if he learns from first contact with you, that your way of doing things results in praise and comfortable
relations, while other ways results in firm, unvarying correction, he will opt for the easier way out. Making the easier way
the right way (your way, of course) is a fair definition of training. The key
words in training are confidence and consistency. This means your dog's confidence in you as well as yours in him. His
confidence is established by your consistently responding to a particular action with the same reaction. In training, this
means that certain actions are always prohibited, and certain others always encouraged. Vacillation is the deadliest enemy of good training, destroying the secure world in which a dog , at any age, seeks
to live. A well-trained dog knows what it can do and what it cannot do. This is only established by consistent reenforcement.
A dog that is praised when it does right, and corrected when it does wrong, will soon learn acceptable behavior.
Praise and Correction Living successfully with a dog means understanding how to correctly
use praise and correction. Praise implies more than obvious approval when your dog has done something right. It also means
praising your dog after you have corrected or disciplined him, in the interest of maintaining smooth and happy relations.
Many home trainers make the basic, and destructive, mistake of prolonging their anger at a "naughty" dog or one
who has seemingly been unable to absorb a training session. A dog cannot remember after a few minutes what he did or didn't
do; he only knows that you are displeased with him. All of which teaches him nothing except that your not so easy to get along
with. Correct when wrong. Praise when right. It is best to be able to praise your dog as soon after a correction as
possible; just make sure the praise is for correct behavior. Do this no matter how many times you've had to make the identical
correction; it takes time for any correction to sink in. Praise after correction doesn't lesson the impact of the correction,
but it will reassure him that you are still friends, and training can progress without hard feelings on either side. Corrections
should be mild and non-violent. Your voice is your basic corrective tool, and the basic corrective command is, "No!"
There must be authority in your correction voice. Loud, yes; authoritative equally important. Panic, anger and annoyance may
confuse the dog. In most cases a sufficiently authoritative correction is adequate. Just how harsh the correction has to be
depends on the reaction of the dog. If the dog is not responding to your correction, the chances are, you are not being sufficiently
authoritative. There can be tremendous variation from breed to breed in the degree of firmness neccessary to get the proper
response from the dog. Some breeds are far more strong-willed and hard headed than others. A dog that has been allowed to
develop unacceptable behavior and is then subjected to correction will require a stronger hand than the dog that is never
allowed to develop incorrect behavior in the first place. From the time a puppy enters your life it is learning and adapting
its behavior to you and its environment. It must learn what is acceptable and what is unacceptable. Some behavior, such
as the commands mentioned above, must be taught in relatively, regular sessions. Other behavior must be taught as you interact
with the dog. Chewing for example. Puppies are going to chew. When you cannot be with the puppy, make certain it has no access
whatsoever to anything it should not chew on. When you are with the puppy, correct it with a firm "No!" as soon
as it chews on your clothing, hands or anything else it should not put in his mouth. Once the correction has been made, of
course, praise the dog immediately. The dog must learn that it will be corrected for doing something wrong and that you
will also praise it abundantly for doing what's right. The basic corrective device used when systematically trianing is
the choke (or training) collar. The choke permits you to instantly
correct a dog when it is being trained. A complete discussion of the choke collar and it's use is presented below. The
choke is an affective training aid. Used correctly it is not inhumane. Never strike your dog, with one possible exception.
That exception is when a dog actually threatens to bite. In this circumstance, you will have to judge, from your knowledge
of your own dog, how to handle the situation, and this may mean force. Even then, however, remember to praise and comfort
him once the incident is over. When we say not to hit your dog, we mean using your hand, a rolled-up newspaper, a stick or
any other object. Don't threaten him, either. This is almost worst than actually striking him. Such is the cause of "hand
shy" dogs, who cringe at the sight of any hand up-raised or otherwise. The dog who expects the possibility of being struck
whenever a hand is raised has good reason to try to get to safer ground. The use of a rolled up newspaper in correction is
so widespread that it warrants additional discussion. The idea is that the noise of the blow, and not its force, punishes
the dog by frightening him. This is wrong on three counts. First, training does not occur by scaring a dog into making him
do what you want and not do what you find objectionable. Secondly, deliberately teaching a dog to be frightened of sudden
loud noises is not good. Third, and perhaps most important, is the unlikelihood of having a rolled-up newspaper on hand or
even close by at all times. The power of correction lies in its immediate administration, not following a lapse of a few seconds.
Furthermore, positive and immediate correction must be somehow connected with the dog's act. Constructive corrections
must be instantly shown to the dog what it ought to be doing. For example, if you are teaching your dog to sit and he
doesn't, you must instantly show him what he should be doing by guiding him into a sitting position with your hands. Disciplinary
corrections must be made as fast and be as closely connected with the misdeed as possible. If you do not want your dog to
jump up on people, for instance, placing your knee that it throws him off balance as he jumps at you is an excellent correction.
Note: that neither of these situations involves any unpleasantness from you to him, no shouting, no hitting or beating and
no recriminations. You may also have noticed that the word "punishment" does not appear anywhere in our discription
of training techniques. A dog is never punished; he is corrected. This may seem a fine point to you, but in such fine points
lies the difference between good and bad dog training. Lastly, never, under any circumstances, correct or disipline your dog
when you have called him to you or when he has come to you of his own accord. The canine mind makes direct and short-term
connections. If he comes to you and you correct or disipline him, he will connect it with coming to you (the most recent thing he did before the roof fell in) and not with what happened previously. After
a few episodes, he will be reluctant to come to you and eventually not come to you at all. Here, as in other training situations,
it may be a good idea to put yourself in his position. How would you feel if a friend asked you to come to him, then shouted
at you when you arrived ? Chances are you'd get pretty cautious about approaching him. Your dog feels much the same way.
Therefore, if your dog has done something wrong at a distance, either get to where he is for your correction, or forget about
it until you have the opportunity to do the job right.
Housebreaking The importance of thorough housebreaking cannot be overemphasized.
The younger the dog the more difficult the job will be. Some breeds housebreak more readily than others. Unless you do what
has to be done, directly housebreaking or paper-training as an intermediate step, as discussed below, the dog will not learn.
Unhousebroken dogs are unacceptable. All the reasons that make dogs worthwhile, enjoyable companoins are destroyed if the
dog cannot be trusted in the house. There are two basic housebreaking techniques, one in which housebreaking is accomplished
directly, and one which uses paper-breaking as an intermediate stage. Direct housebreaking is by far preferable, but is not
convenient to everyone's lifstyle. If you have a yard of any sort just outside your door, it is not only possible but
to housebreak directly. Apartment dwellers may have to rely on the intermediate paper-breaking method. Direct housebreaking
is simple. Basically, it involves taking the puppy outside frequently, allowing him to relieve himself, and returning him
to the house. Once inside, he is either confined to either a large sleeping living box or crate or, if you can keep a close
eye on him, loose, but in a restricted space such as the kitchen. In either case, the puppy will be restricted to a small
area in which he must play and sleep, an area that he will be extremely reluctant to soil. If he does soil the area, and accidents
will happen, chastise him mildly and take him outside immediately to the area he has used before, to remind him that the only
permissible place is there. Remember to be fair with him, though. A young puppy needs to eliminate quite often, so take him
out frequently in the early days before he has built up a measure of control. He must be taken out about an hour after each
feeding. With age, he will be able to contain himself for longer periods and the neccessary outings will be reduced to approximately
four a day, but let him work up slowly. There is nothing cruel about restricting a puppy to a box or crate, contrary to what
many new dog people think. It is actually a kindness to allow the puppy to get housebreaking over and done with efficiently.
A majority of housebreaking problems originate with the "kind" owner who lets an untrained puppy have the run of
the house. Then the puppy falls into the habit of soiling the floors and furniture, and for years afterword he may be subjected
to constant corrections. The choice is between a couple of weeks of close confinement resulting in efficient housebreaking
and the possibility of years of dissatisfaction accompained by non-stop corrections. Furthermore, its not as if the dog is
in solitary confinement; give your puppy plenty of attention and playtime both in and out of his confinement area. Accustoming
a dog to a crate may also be beneficial later, if you decide to travel with him. In addition, many experienced breeders and
trainers who give their dogs free access to their crates following housebreaking will tell you that dogs appreciate having
a space of there own apart from the hustle and bustle of human life. Housebreaking in an apartment is a more difficult
task, but let me advise you not to take the puppy out into the city streets until the puppy has a chance to build up his immune
system first, to protect him from dog diseases he might contract there. On the other hand, it may be difficult to make frequent
trips down to the street from a high-rise apartment. Such cases call for use of the paper training method. Cover the entire
floor of the paper-training room, preferably the kitchen, with several thicknesses of newspapers and confine the puppy to
that area, wait for him to use them, then pick up the soiled papers and replace them. Continue in this fashion for a day or
two, then leave a small corner of the room bare, hope he doesn't use it. If he does, chastise him mildly and put him on
the papers, letting him know that is the one and only place for him to go. As he seems to understand the paper idea, widen
the bare area until you have a papered space equivalent to about two newspaper sheets. Allow him to use that area until he
is old enough to go to the street. Then begin street walks with him until he learns the street is the proper place for elimination,
and remove the papers. At that point, watch carefully for any indication of need for relief (he may search frantically for the papers) and take him out immediately. As with direct housebreaking,
keep him absolutely confined (in
this case to the paper-breaking area)
until the lesson is fully learned. Also, you can help your puppy control his bladder by not letting him drink mass amounts
of water. Dont give him water 2 hours before bedtime (this is, of course your bedtime), and make sure he is taken out, or allowed access to the papers, just before the household retires.
Using a Training Collar and Lead Serious training should be postponed until your
dog is approximately six to eight months old. Until then he will have little power of concentration, and intense lessons will
only confuse him. Puppies are continually being trained and preliminary training for the more demanding structure training
described below is possible and a good idea. As a rule of thumb puppies that are still teething are to young for serious training.
On the other hand, if your dog is considerably past his puppyhood and you still wish to train him, its not too late. Contrary
to the old age, a dog can be trained at any age, old age included. Before you begin training your dog, you will need a training
(choke) collar and lead (leash). The collar is of the metal chain-link variety with metal rings at each end. It forms a loop by slipping the
chain through one of the rings; the other ring is where the leash is attached. A training lead is made up of leather or webbing
a half inch to a full inch wide, and is six to twelve feet long. Correct sized collar is determined by measuring the
largest part of your dog's head and adding one inch. The proper way to put on a choke collar is the loose ring at the
right of the dog's neck, the chain attached to it having come over the neck and through the holding ring rather than under
the neck. A collar in this position will work correctly, as the dog is to be on your left during your training. Training collars
are effective because they allow you to exert as much or as little control as you need. You can get your dog's attention
or urge him into the right position or direction by giving a light, quick snap of the lead. This momentarily tightens the
collar around the neck. Pressure is then released, and, if you placed the collar on correctly, it will loosen instantly. Thus
the correction is made. A slight tug may be all that is required. A more reluctant trainee may require greater exertion on
the lead. With training the dog will respond to slight correction. Never use the training collar to exert constant pressure
on the dog's neck; this will choke him. In the right hands a training collar and lead are a good training technique; in
the wrong hands, they can be harmful or even torturous. Once your equipment is assembled, gently introduce it to the dog.
Put the collar on him and let him wear it for a day before trying anything further. Then snap the lead onto the collar and
let him drag it around for a while to get used to it, watching that he doesn't get tangled on something and become frightened.
When you feel he is used to the lead, take up your end of it and walk around with him, applying little or no pressure. Gradually,
over a short period, increase your control until he learns that even though the leash restrains him, it is nothing to be afraid
of. When you have reached the point where you can persuade him to come along in the general direction you want by gentle snaps
on the lead, you are ready to begin the exercise that forms the foundation for all others, heeling.
Heeling Training periods should
take place regularly once or twice a day, gradually increasing to 15 to 30 minutes. Longer sessions will only tire him and
you, and training will suffer. Nothing is worse for training than boredom, resulting from overlong sessions. Be business
like during training sessions, but don't forget to be friendly and praise him. At the completion of each lesson, take
some time to play and romp with your dog, to ease the pressure and make sure your relationship is amiable. To begin heeling,
put the dog more on your left side and start to walk by calling his name and giving the command to heel, "Fido Heel."
A good training rule is to call the dog's name and then the command for all movement exercises, "Fido Heel"
or "Fido Come." while for commands where the dog is to be still, "Sit" or "Stay" give only the
command. Give the command just as you take the first step, and simultaneously give him a light snap with the leash to persuade
him to come along. Remember also to step with your left leg first. Since you have the dog on your left this is the leg
nearest the dog. On commands where the dog is to be stationary and you move away from him, such as "Stay", step
first with your right leg. As you walk along, use only as much force as neccessary to get him moving with you, and continue
to urge him to walk on your left side, with his neck and shoulder approximately opposite and level with your left leg, by
snapping the leash. Each time give the command "Heel" as you snap. And each time you snap and command, follow it
with praise. It needs to be only a brief word or two, like "Thats a Good boy!" It will take a good deal of
work before he understands what is going on, for this is the first time he has ever had to perform on command, but if you
are kind and patient and skillful he will learn, and without rancor. The secret of successful heeling training is learning
the art of snapping the lead and hence tightening and releasing the choke collar. Although called a "choke collar,"
a training collar is not meant per se to choke the dog, although that's exactly what will happen if you exert a steady
pull. The collar is meant to instantly get the dog's attention and correct only when neccessary. The less the choke is
used with the least amount of force the better. By the same token the choke is a tool to be used. You must use enough force
to get the dog to do what he should. Not steady choking pressure, but a series of quick jerks. You must give a quick
snap and then release tension. You must also remember to give praise after each jerk. However, mild your corrections, each
is a discomfort to the dog and if you praise him immediately, it will remove the sting without removing the lesson. Practice
heeling in brief but lengthening sessions two or more times daily until you have to give only one command as you start walking
and do not have to use the lead for correction. Practice moving in circles, around corners, and other maneuvers, keeping the
dog at your side with continual snaps and praise, until you are confident that he is walking with you of his own accord. When
heeling is well learned you are ready to move on to teaching the sit command. Just remember to practice the heeling often
as you work on other commands. Teaching a dog to heel is vital if for no other reason than to be able to walk your dog for
exercise and so it can relieve itself. A dog that will not walk on lead is not a very good companion for walking, Dog's
that pull you along because they want to continue to sniff at an interesting smell are no fun to leash walk. Heeling as described
in the preceding paragraphs is highly disiplined, controlled exercise. A frequently asked question is, "How do you walk
the dog for exercise and for it to relieve itself as opposed to rigorous heeling?" The best way to do this is not to
use the choke collar in its choke mode when walking the dog and you want to permit him to amble along and relieve himself.
Either use a collar or snap the leads through both rings of the choke. Once a dog is well-trained you can use the choke and
the dog will be able to discriminate by the commands you give (or dont)
the amount of latitude he has.
Sit The sit command in obedience
training means the dog should sit at the handler's left side, the dog's shoulder square to the owner's knee. The
dog should be pointing straight ahead. In obedience work the dog is taught to take to the sit position as part of heeling.
When you stop moving, the dog is to automatically assume the sit position. This command is taught by having the dog sit when
you stop walking while he is heeling at your side. When you stop, give the command, "Sit" and while your left hand
guides his rear down into a sitting position, your right hand holds his head up and in position with the lead. With your hand
and the lead, make him stay in the sitting position a moment; then give the heel command and start walking. Again stop, give
the sit command, guide him into position, and have him stay seated a little longer. Gradually, as he gets the idea, you will
be able to abandon giving the command, and then the lead and hand correction. He will sit automatically when you come to a
stop, waiting either for you to start moving again or for his release through an established release command, such as "Okay!"
Finally, when he has fully learned the meaning of sit, and learned to sit when you stop walking, you are ready to teach the
sit from any position. Put the collar and lead on and give him the "Sit!" command, guiding him into position as
before. Concentrate this phase, continuing the sit pure sit training until he will sit on command with no corrections, and
then begin to introduce the "Stay" command.
Stay During the stay, your dog
is required to remain in a seated position until released by you. To teach the stay, begin by placing your dog in a sitting
position while he is on lead. Tell him "Stay!" placing the palm of your left hand in front of his muzzle and stepping
one step away from him (starting
with your right foot). Repeat the
command in a coaxing but firm voice and keep your hands on him if neccessary to reenforce the command. Don't try to make
him stay for more than 10 or 20 seconds before releasing him during the first few times. Slowly increase the time and the
distance you step away from him while cutting down on the continued commands, until he will stay on one command for at least
three minutes. Again the properly trained dog will do what he is told the first time and only time he is told. During training,
as many commands as it takes to get the idea across are acceptable, but you must arrive at the point where you need only one
"Heel," "Sit," or "Stay" for him to respond. Once this is accomplished, you should deliver your
single command in a firm but pleasant tone and then use the lead and collar to be sure he follows orders. Never plead or give
a command in anger, simply be strong and unequivocal.
Stand-Stay Once your dog has mastered
heeling and sitting, and sitting and staying, he is ready to do the stand-stay. This is particularly useful when you want
to brush and groom him, for example: the stand-stay is also taught from the heel. While he is heeling, slow down to a halt
and give him the command, "Stand!" As you do so, stop his forward motion with the lead and before he has the chance
to do the sit as he has learned, block the forward and downward motion of his rear with your left hand, fingers extended,
just in front of the top of his right hind leg. Don't grab him, just block him. If he still attempts to sit, dont chastise
him, since he's only trying to do what you've already taught him. Simply start walking again with the "Heel"
command and after a few steps, stop again, using your left hand firmly to prevent him from sitting. He will probably
be a little confused at this point, so praise him to reassure him. While he is standing, give the "Stand!" command
repeatedly, let him know you want him to remain in that position, and also give him the fimiliar "Stay!" command.
He should soon begin to get the idea. Continue until he will stand firmly at your side until you start heeling again with
the accompanying command. Combine this training with normal sits when you stop walking. He may at first be confused, and you
may have to reenforce the sit commands again for a short while. Soon it will become clear to him that he must sit unless there
is a command to the contrary, and to stand when he hears the word. Now you can begin leaving him alone a little while he is
sitting or standing at the stay. Which ever position he is in, give him a firm command to "Stay!" At the same time,
bring your left hand around, fingers extended, and hold it front on his nose, palm to him, for a second. This is a signal
to stay. While the leash still in your hand, take a step away from him starting with your right foot. If he attempts to move
or follow you, give him a firm "No!" and then repeat the "Stay!" command guiding him back into position
with your hands and the lead. Here again he may be confused, since before you wanted him to go with you when you started walking.
Continue until he learns that he is now to stay unless given a counter command to heel, or is released. Step away again and
move slowly until you are at the distance of the lead. Stay there only a few seconds before returning to praise him and release
him. As the training sessions go on, slowly increase the time you are away from him until you can stay away for at least a
minute while he holds the stand position, and three minutes while he holds the sit position. Then you can begin to move around
him while he is sitting or standing. Still holding the lead, walk away from him and circle around him, being careful that
the lead neither tugs on him or drags across his face. Continue this until he will stay quietly and confidently for three
minutes, during which you can walk away from him to the front or back or sides and circle him several times. Don't try
stopping him from turning his head to watch you, but gently and firmly correct any break from position, then reenforce it
with the command again and leave once more. Remember the neccessity of praising your dog after every correction and whenever
he does something right by himself. At the risk of taxing your patience, we have not written praise after every sentence in
this section, but it should appear in your mind nevertheless. Praise is an integral part of your dog's learning process; he can never recieve
too much praise, only too little.
Don't forget it is to
gain your praise that your dog works and strives to please you.
Down To teach your dog to lie
down on command, sit him at your side. Kneel beside him and reach over his back with your left arm, taking hold of his left
front leg near his body with your left hand and his right front leg similiarly with your right hand. Tell him "Down!"
and put him gently to the down position by lifting his front feet off the ground and easing his body down until he is in a
lying position. This way, there is no struggle between you and your dog. He is comforted by the fact that your arm is around
him, and he will not feel the need to fight the pressure of the leash or hand by bracing his front legs. When he is down,
release your grasp on him slowly, sliding your left hand around and leaving it on his back, while continually telling him
"Down," "Stay!" Keep him in position for a few seconds. Then release him and get him into sitting position
(by command) for another try. Continue this until he goes down on command
with you having to lift him, and will stay quietly until released, without any pressure of your left hand on his back. Then
give the command without putting your hands into the ready position. After a few days, you should be able to stand erect and
give only one command "Down!" to lie down at your side. Until then you can improvise until he goes down when several
feet away from you, still on lead. When he has learned the down command, leave him at the stay position as you did before
when you did the sit position and stand exercises. First walk away only briefly and then leave him for longer periods, finally
circling around him. You will find it will be easier this time, because now he knows the meaning of "Stay!"
Come Perhaps the most important
basic command your dog must learn is "Come!" It is last on our training schedule because your dog should already
know how to work on command and how to heel and sit, both of which are used in the preliminary "come" training.
While your dog is heeling at your side, take a sudden step back and say "Fido Come" As you give the command, snap
the lead to turn him around to his right as he is walking, and get him headed back toward you. When he is facing you, keep
walking backward, urging him to come toward you with continued gentle snaps of the lead and reputitions of the "Come!"
command. Praise is particularly important here since this is a confusing turn of events for your dog. When he is in full stride
toward you, stop, and give the command "Sit!" as he reaches you. It may be neccessary to guide him into a sitting
position right in front of you, but there is a very good chance you won't have to. Once he is in position directly in
front of and facing you, the first "recall" is completed. Tell him "Stay!" and walk around into position
then start up at heel again for another try. Continue working this way until you have only to step backward and give the command
with no lead urging for him to turn and walk to you, sitting in front without further command. From here, the progression
to the recall from a sitting position at a distance is simple. Get him to sit, and step away from him to the end of the lead,
then give the "Come!" command. If he hesitates, give him a slight snap on the lead, to let him know what you want,
and he will get up, come to you, and sit again in front of you. The key to the success of this method is that there is never
a contest of brute strength between you and your dog. He is already in motion when you first give him the "Come"
command while heeling, and there is no tugging with the lead to get him up from a sit or down position when he doesn't
yet understand what "Come" means.
Beyond Basic Training Once your dog
understands these six basic commands, you are ready for the final step: obedience without the control of the lead, in "offlead"
work. In preparation, you must be absolutely certain that your dog will obey commands without hesitation on lead. This is
a common place for training to break down. Many home trainers do not adequately train there dogs and then try it without the
lead. The outcome is invariably fatal to the training. If you and your dog have prgressed successfully to this point, get
him seated at your side as before. Take the lead off and start up with the heel command. You will probably be greatly suprised
to find that he heels with you, which should really be no suprise if your previous training has been good. Go through the
whole routine: the stands, downs, stays, and recalls, just as if the lead where still there. In most cases, if all has gone
well before, all will go well now. If not, put the lead back on for correction whenever neccessary. Work on those parts until
they are performed properly and then remove the lead and try again. It should work. A word of caution, however: when trying
the recall off lead, don't try it from a great distance at first. Try it from only six feet or so, and work up to greater
distances slowly. Like everything else in training, gradual progress is the way. Everyone can have a well-trained dog if you
are patient and apply the methods that we have outlined here. The only trick is to be consistent and persistent. Of course,
confidence is the most important ingredient to good training: confidence in yourself as a trainer and your dog as an intelligent
beings, not to mention your dog's confidence in you as a kind, fair and firm master. Training is not accomplished in a
day, a week, or even a month, but doing it can be fun, not a chore, if you go about it right. The result will be a dog
who responds to your wishes, a joy to own and a true companion.
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