Reward training has been used for many decades to train dogs and is a great way to train small dogs like the Pomeranian who are too tiny to respond to choke collars and other harsh methods of training.

Reward training is used to train dogs to perform all kinds of activities including police work and military jobs. This type of training is used extensively in the training of dogs for movies and commercials. But you don’t have to have a police dog or movie star to use reward training - it’s very effective to teach your pet basic obedience commands.

As the name implies, reward training involves a reward of some sort. Typically a special treat, but even praise and a few pats on the head can be considered a worthy reward by your dog.
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I once again feel compelled to write about dog training. Our dogs need to know and obey at least the very basic obedience commands, commands that will keep our dogs safe.

Today, much more so than ever before, dogs are very much included in daily activities. Families take their dogs with them on family outings. Young people take their dogs out to-well, wherever they go. And the golden middle aged couples seem to take their dogs with them everywhere they go.

Dogs find themselves boating, biking, swimming, scootering, traveling, and doing just about everything humans do. Dogs need to be courteous, well behaved, and clean when in public. A dog that falls into this category is well accepted in most places. Even welcomed. A well behaved dog is a pleasure to have around. And, a well behaved dog is a safe dog.

Dogs need to obey instantly when given the command to stop. They need to obey instantly when called to come, when told to sit, when told to lie down, and when told not to bark. A dog needs to walk properly and not pull the walker. I remember the time when I ran into a very dangerous situation with my three dogs. I though my dogs were trained to obey at all times. Surprise, even well trained dogs makes mistakes.
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Training your dog may be easier than you ever thought it could be. You can now effectively train your dog by learning everything you need to know from a dog training book. The following paragraphs will give some insight on learning what you need to know from a dog training book, and also provide some useful tips to help figure out what dog training book is the right one for you and your pet.

Taking your dog to a professional trainer can sometimes be costly, causing dog owners everywhere to seek alternative methods of dog training, including learning everything they need to know about training their dog from a dog training book. You can get a good dog training book from any of the following places:
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Although pet dogs are often seen as of members of the family, they can also sometimes be seen as obnoxious members of the family or even downright dangerous.

In order to mitigate the annoying, obnoxious, and sometimes dangerous behavioral characteristics that dogs can display, their owners frequently turn to training programs.

Because there are around 65 million pet dogs in the United States, there is a vast amount of behavioral training options out there. There are manuals, books, schools, seminars, training experts, and classes.
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1) When you take your dog with you in the car

Does your dog escape (or try to escape) when you get out of your vehicle? Do you have to get out of your vehicle by squeezing through a door that is open just wide enough for you to squeeze through? Are you afraid of shutting the door behind you in case your dog’s little black nose is sticking out?

Does your dog try to climb on your lap when driving?

Do you have your car window open for your dog while driving? Does your dog try to escape out the window? My golden did exactly that once. She was in the back of my jeep, and she had NEVER given any clue that she could, or would jump out the window. Here I am pulling into my driveway and my golden is sitting at the gate waiting for me. I freaked…she must have jumped out the back window as I was turning into my driveway. I never even realized she had jumped out.

2) Does your dog think that your visitors are coming just to play with him? Can your visitors actually get into your home without being jumped on cornered or tackled? Can your visitors come up the stairs without being pounced on by your waiting dog? Is your dog ready to wash your visitors face as soon as they are eye level on the stairs?
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Training your dog to sit is one of the most basic skills, and also sets the foundation for many others. Here is exactly what should happen: the moment the guide stops, the dog should sit close to his left side. And here is exactly how to go about training your dog:

Hold the leash tightly in both hands, with the right hand at the side, and with a loose grip in the left hand at the left side. But do not slip the hand through the loop at the leash end.

Walk forward and stop suddenly, at the same time giving in a sharp voice the command SIT. Drop the leash from the left hand. Still holding the leash in a tight grip raise the right hand, and at that moment press the lower part of the dog’s back to the ground with the left hand while repeating the command SIT.

The guide should then assume a standing position, once more with the command SIT. Throughout this procedure, avoid changing the position of your feet. The dog should still be at your left side.

What is the dog’s reaction? He will attempt to get up on his feet, to jump to one side, possibly to lie down or sit sidewise.

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The down command is the next lesson to teach in your dog obedience training schedule. It should be taught as soon as you and your dog have mastered the sit command.

The down command is a fundamental ingredient of your overall dog obedience training program. It provides the foundation for many other advanced commands/skills and establishes you as the leader in the relationship you share with your dog. The reason for this is that the laying down position is a submissive and somewhat vulnerable position for your dog to be in, especially when you are standing tall over the top of your dog.

The down command is a very handy tool you will come to rely on in many situations. Popping your dog down into the lying down position is great for times when you need to go into a shop or for occassions when there are small children around. It can take a bit of practice to reach this level, but it is worth the effort.

Learning The Down Obedience Command

When you are in the learning phase of teaching the down command, start out by making it simple for your dog, then slowly turn up the difficulty level.

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Dog obedience training is the process of establishing a firm relation between your dog and you - the dog owner. In a way, it creates a common language for your dog to know the needed response in cases of maladaptive behaviors.

Your dog’s ill disposition may be due to its inability to respond properly on the stress it encounters and its insufficient understanding of such. Once a dog is trained, its threshold to stress may be raised to another level more apt with what his environment may require.

What that really means is that sometimes your dog hasn’t a clue about what to do and that creates confusion and sometimes behavior you don’t like. So you have to help him understand what’s ok and then get him to realise that is what you expect.

Dog obedience training is in general, an education to cultivate dogs to become well-disposed. Normally, in the process of educating or training the dogs their tendency for aggressiveness and over reaction may be diminished to the least possible level. It is one of the methods to cope the dogs with the real world. Instead of a cycle of empty rituals, it is far more worthwhile to enroll your dog for formal dog obedience training.
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Learning how to turn your dog into a perfect companion takes time and effort but is well worth it to create a harmonious living environment for you both. If approached the right way, the training process can even be an enjoyable way for you to spend time together, leading to a well-adjusted personality in your dog, and decreased stress for everyone.

Dogs like to learn and interact, so ongoing training and the reinforcement of learned behaviors can be a good way to prevent them from getting bored, as well as helping you develop effective communication. Teaching your pet a number of commands is more than just a matter of having some clever tricks to show; it can be a matter of ensuring their safety and preventing the development of unnecessary bad habits.

Learning obedience should not mean a dog can no longer show their personality, or engage in normal, natural dog behaviors such as barking, digging and chewing. Turning them into the perfect companion should, rather, require that you teach them the appropriate times and ways to act out these instincts, providing alternatives when their natural inclinations prove destructive. Provide appropriate items for chewing, places for digging, and rewards for obeying.
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When you first get a puppy or even if you adopt an older dog you will want to teach your new resident the house rules. It is important not only for you and your home but also for the dog that these ground rules are set early and adhered to all the time. A dog will quickly become confused if you change the rules or move the boundaries and a confused dog is an unhappy dog. There are no hard and fast rules you should implement and the rules you do set will be determined by your own requirements as much as anything else.

Basic dog obedience training is essential because not only does it allow you to set the ground rules but also it teaches your dog that you are in control and any orders you give must be followed. The best dog training tip you can be given is to always be consistent. Whether this is regarding the ground rules you set or the training method you use, you should always use consistency. The best way to do this is to use both positive and negative reinforcement or reprimand and reward.
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