How to Teach a Young Dog Tricks

Dogs are most receptive to learning when they are puppies.

You can't teach an old dog new tricks but surely a young dog stands a chance. When your dog is a puppy it is the perfect time to try and teach it new tricks when its brain is in its most developmental mode. In addition, teaching your dog tricks reinforces the bond between pet and owner.

Instructions

1. Spend two seven-minute sessions teaching your dog the tricks every day. You don't need to spend any more time than this. Dog tricks involve a series of behaviors that can be complicated when performed at once. Therefore, you need to break the trick down into smaller steps that are easier for the dog to learn. If you want the dog to go from running to rolling over you could break that down into stopping running, sitting, lying down and then rolling over.

2. Use rewards for positive reinforcement and punishments for negative reinforcements. A reward is what you give the dog after it does something correctly in the trick. A reward could be verbal, by exclaiming "good job boy!" or physical, such as petting. Another common reward is a treat. The dog will probably like the treat best. A punishment is for when the dog misbehaves. A punishment could be a pull on the collar, a spray of citronella or a shock on the electric collar. Some people hit their dogs but this is never recommended as hitting your dog could result in severely damaged relationship.

3. Don't fret if your dog doesn't understand right away. It is OK to reward the dog if it does something close to the actual trick even if it is not perfectly right. This is called "shaping" and it helps the dog move in the right direction of the trick. As the dog starts repeating that behavior you can help it along to work out the errors. If necessary, hysically move the dog, say to a certain position or to put its paws in a certain place.

References

• Puppy Love: Teaching Dog Tricks