Trick training is a fun experience for both dog and owner that can help to build and strengthen the bond they share. Learning tricks can also give your dog confidence, discipline, and an entirely new skill set. It also offers confidence for the trainer. There are numerous tricks you can teach, ranging from easy and basic to hard and complex. No matter which trick you are trying to teach your dog, there are some basic fundamentals you need to know. If you aren't sure where to start, just check out the following tips to get you started on teaching your dog basic tricks at home.

Tip #1: Be Patient

Patience is key. Try not to get frustrated or angry, because your dog can sense it. When a dog senses frustration or anger, they will only end up being scared and confused. Although you may sometimes wish things were going smoother, or faster, try to just be patient. Your dog will eventually learn the trick if you work with them. One good way to work on patience is to focus on how well your dog learns a new trick, not how quickly.

Tip #2: Be Consistent

Like patience, consistency is another key in successful dog training. You must set aside a time of the day to train your dog, and stick to it. If you decide to begin your training each day at four in the afternoon,  make sure you do this every single day. Your dog needs that organized scheduling in his life to make the most of his learning experience.

It isn't just about time, however. You must decide on the way you will train your dog and stick to that, as well. If you are constantly changing your tactics, you will only serve to confuse your dog, which will slow their progress down to almost nothing.

Tip #3: Train For The Individual

Although there is a basic set of guidelines for training your dog, you must realize each canine comes with their own individual personality. Sometimes you must alter your techniques slightly to fit that. For example, some dogs do better with treats to reward them, while others prefer more praise than rewards. You just have to figure out what works best for you and your dog.

Tip #4: Exude Confidence

You must be confident in your training. Go into the training session fully expecting your dog to listen to what you say, no matter how stubborn they might be. You should also confidently expect your dog to master the tricks you are teaching them. When your dog senses confidence, they will also have confidence. They will feel sure they can master the task at hand. Confidence also makes a dog want to listen to you more.

Dogs are pack animals, and as such, they rely heavily on a strong leader to guide them in what they should or should not do. In this situation, YOU are the strong pack leader, and need to act like one.

Tip #5: Use Praise Instead of Punishment

Too often, owners think they can punish their dogs with harsh words or a spanking. They believe the dog will learn their lesson this way, and start doing what they are supposed to do. Unfortunately, this is wrong. Your dog will be doing what you ask if you punish them, but only out of fear. This fear can lead to aggressive behaviors later on in the dog's life, which can be dangerous to others.

Praise, on the other hand, gets you the results you want. Your dog will be doing what you ask them to out of love and respect, instead of fear. Here are a few ideas on how to praise your dog for doing as you asked them to:

• Offer a treat
• Enthusiastically tell your dog “good job!”
• Give a pat on the head
• Scratch behind your dog's ears or on their stomach

Tip #6: Discipline Without Yelling or Hitting

Although you should not punish your dog with yelling or hitting, there are times when you need to firmly but calmly discipline your dog. If, while you are teaching them tricks, they run off, bite, or are stubborn beyond what is normal for them. Basically, if your dog acts up in any severe way. The discipline chosen should make it obvious the dog did something wrong, but should accomplish this without breaking down their confidence or harming their psyche.

Here are some good ideas on how to properly discipline your dog:

• Say “no!” and point your finger at them
• Remove them from the situation
• Forgo treats or praise
• Set them some place quiet to calm down and tell them to stay there

Tip #7: Work On One Thing At A Time

You may be tempted to push ahead in training your dog to do tricks, but it's incredibly important you focus on one thing at a time. Rely on your dog to know when its time to move forward. If they have successfully mastered something, meaning they can do it on command every time without fail, you can move forward to the next part of your training.

The most basic tricks have only one step, but for those which are more complex, you need to focus on one part of the trick at a time. For example, picking up the laundry. Start with the last step, and work your way backwards. You would first teach him to drop a piece of laundry in the basket. Then you would teach him how to take the laundry to the basket, and then how to recognize laundry.

Conclusion

The above tips can help you successfully train your dog at home. The benefits of doing so are numerous. You can form a strong bond between dog and owner, as well as teach your dog confidence, discipline, and a sense of accomplishment. You, too, can experience a boost in confidence when you know you can successfully train your dog on your own.

Christopher Rollox Works at Gemini K9 Obedience. He loves to write and share his knowledge on Dog Training. He recommends taking dogs through only the best training programs for dogs and therefore suggests people use the Gemini K9 Obedience Inc. program to train their dogs. Whenever he has the time he reads books, travels in the city and dining out with his wife.