When your puppy has learned some of the basic training needs, you can practice by turning it all into fun. For example, put the puppy in a Sit-Stay, back off a foot or two, show him a soft toy and toss it to him. Don’t go for a catch that requires a Superman leap into the air. The idea is to have him actually catch it!

Put him in a Sit-Stay and let him watch you hide a toy under the edge of a nearby chair. Keep him on a stay for a moment more, perhaps as you wonder out loud “Where is Teddy?” Then give him the release and cue, “Okay - find Teddy!” If he hasn’t figured out what to do, help him look for it, but let him “find” it.

Going back to the “as” routine, you can teach your puppy almost any trick that he can perform by himself simply by giving that action a one-word command. (Don’t worry if it’s actually two words.) Dogs like to roll over onto their backs and wriggle, especially on a nice thick rug! Turn this back-scratching into a trick by catching Sparky as he begins and saying, “Sparky, roll
over. Good boy!”

As your puppy grows up, he’ll understand more and more of your language and you’ll be able to use phrases that have great impact as tricks. For example, instead of saying “roll over,” say, “Sparky, can you do your rollover exercises?” to bring on a wriggling, leg-flailing routine that is worthy of applause. For starters, keep it simple.

When Sparky has reached the stage of being able to hold a steady Sit-Stay, you can add another trick. Balance a small dog biscuit on top of his nose as you say, “On trust.” (You may have to hold his head steady the first few times.) When he has held it for a second or two, give him the release signal (”Okay” or “Take it”) as you gently but quickly lift his chin up,
which will toss the biscuit into the air so he can catch the biscuit as it falls.

Kids and puppies love to play hide-and-seek, but anyone can get in on the game. Dogs seek by scent, so at least in the beginning crouch down to be nearer the pup’s level. Put Sparky in a Sit-Stay, let him see you hide (behind a chair or a door), crouch down and then call out “Okay!” Be sure he finds you even if it means you have to call out his name a couple of times. Make a big deal of it when he does - and then repeat the game. Don’t make it any more difficult until he can find you instantly at the first level.

Reward him occasionally with a small treat, but make finding you the most exciting part of the game, which means you will progress slowly from hiding where he can at least partially see you, to hiding in another room and eventually the back of a clothes closet where your scent will be masked. He won’t play if it isn’t fun, so be sure he does find you every time.

Shaking hands is an old favorite and easy to teach - touch the toes and most pups will raise that paw. Lift it gently and say, “Shake hands” (or “Give me a paw”) as he does. When that much has been mastered, you can turn it into a paw raised higher, and without shaking it,
say, “Wave goodbye!” But that’s for later; a polite puppy handshake is fine for now. The opposite of “Off for jumping up is two paws raised in a jump-up greeting, only on a command of “High five!”

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Puppies and dogs learn new things or change their behavior only if the undesirable behavior is punished or the desirable behavior rewarded. We can reward a dog for performing certain tasks on command, such as sitting, lying down, or coming, with simple petting, affection, and praise. You can also use rewards for coming when called, for sitting when strangers arrive at the door rather than jumping up on them, or for going to rest on his bed when people are visiting.

For rewards you can use reinforcement such as petting or verbal reassurance like saying “good dog.” Another reward is food treats, if given judiciously, especially foods the puppy really enjoys such as a piece of meat. It is not our position that using food treats to train puppies “spoils” them, because the treat may simply be phased out by giving it less and less frequently, while retaining the praise and affection.

Most puppies learn rapidly and quite willingly if there are rewards, and in most cases punishment is not necessary. Praise and affection, along with food treats, can be used to house-train puppies, especially when they are taken outdoors and can eliminate in a desirable area.

Punishment can be thought of as being either interactive or remote. In interactive punishment, the owner hits an animal with his hand or with a rolled-up newspaper, shouts at it, or in other ways makes it obvious that an aversive stimulus is coming from the person. The animal clearly associates the unpleasant stimulus with the person giving it.

Unfortunately, dog owners are frequently misguided about how to use interactive punishment.
Interactive punishment is indicated when owners must assert their dominance over dogs to maintain an acceptable dominant-subordinate relationship, especially when threatened. A dog’s growling or snapping at you when it is not a reflection of fear is best met with force. Dogs are social animals that respond naturally to factors in a dominance hierarchy, and their growling or snapping at you is an indication that they have not completely accepted your dominant position. In fact, insufficient dominance, one of the most common behavioral problems of a dog-owner relationship, often stems from a lack of assertiveness on the owner’s part.

Breeds differ in the degree to which they display a tendency to be dominant over their owners. The tendency to be dominant also varies with whether we are dealing with male or female dogs. A breed such as a Shetland Sheepdog, which is very low on tendency to be dominant, may never need to be confronted with interactive punishment, whereas a Doberman Pinscher or Akita may need periodic reinforcement of the dominance position with a sharp voice.

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There are six standard commands: Heel, Come, Sit, Stand, Stay, and Down. With a new puppy, it does not matter too much where you begin. The important thing is to practice any old time everyday and never to be in any hurry to go to the next lesson. You do not set the pace for learning, you puppy does.

Training sessions should last only two to five minutes, which is approximately the length of your pup’s attention span. If you push him longer than that, he will stop paying attention to you. This is FUN stuff! (You may also need to repeat that ten times to remind yourself occasionally.) End every session with a near-perfect performance. That could be one two-second sit, or three little “heeling” steps next to you. Tell him how “perfect” it was. Lay it on him! Really let him know how pleased you are he got it right.

Do not start a training session immediately after the pup has eaten because he’ll be sleepy and those treat rewards won’t be as enticing. However, you can practice at any odd time throughout the day, even if it is a three-second “stay.” Your pup will love the attention.

Motivation for a puppy to do anything at all lies first in his desire to please you. Realistically,
treats run a close second. Dog biscuits do not make good training treats because they take too long to chew. Tiny bits of plain cheese are the perfect taste-treat. A thin slice of hot dog will perk up the interest of almost any dog that’s not concentrating.

Rewards come in three forms: treats, pats and verbal praise. To grade your “student’s” qualification for a reward, consider a treat the equivalent of an “A,” a pat a “B,” and verbal praise a “C.” Any two together equal an A+, so be very careful not to go overboard or you’ll run out of appropriate compensation and the pup will quit.

Verbal praise has a range from ecstatic (for the first few correct responses from a very young pup) to a calm “good dog” as Sparky grows up and becomes more expert. Don’t overuse cheese or hot dog treats when practicing. As each word command is fully learned, gradually cut back on the treats and substitute “good dog” or just a big smile.

What you say to a puppy and how you say it can determine how quickly he learns. All conversation is perceived by the dog as meaningless sound. Try this: In the midst of some long-winded chit-chat, say his name emphatically and watch him take notice. When using the one-word training commands, remember that lesson. His name gives you his attention; one word tells him what to do. It is “Sparky, SIT” - loud and clear. Never, “Sparky, Sit. Sit. Sit. “Sparky, you’re not listening - I said Sit. SIT, Sparky! “That is called nagging, and Sparky will tune you out. The puppy is not being disobedient or stubborn. He’s just confused - totally! And avoid sounding like a drill sergeant! Smile, speak clearly and let the dog do the barking!

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