Trained dogs are welcome almost anywhere because they behave around people and other dogs. They are a pleasure to take for a walk and can be let loose for a romp in the park. They are members of the family in every sense of the word, a good dog should be house trained, come when called, have few bad habits, stay when told, and not pull when taken for a walk.

Before, during, and after training your dog, you must continually build trust. One of the commands you will want your dog to learn is to come when called. To be successful, remember this, when your dog comes to you, be nice to him and reward this behavior. No matter what your dog may have done, be pleasant and use a kind word, a pat on the head and a smile. Teach your dog to trust you by being a safe place. When your dog is with you, follows you or comes to you, make the dog feel wanted.

When you call a dog to you and then punish, you undermine his trust in you. When your dog comes to you voluntarily and gets punished, the dog associates being punished with coming to you. Whether you are pleased or angry, your dog associates these feelings only with what was done last.

While establishing trust, you must also take charge and lead. Dogs are pack animals and you and your family are now the pack, at least as far as your dogs concerned. No pack can exist without a leader, and it’s either your or the dog. Few dogs actively seek leadership, and most are content when you assume the role.

Consistency is vital to the success of training. Your dog cannot understand “sometimes, maybe, perhaps” but he can and does understand yes and no. The more “black and white” or “yes and no” you can make it, the easier it will be for your dog to understand what you want. By observing us and studying our habits, dogs learn to anticipate our actions. Since they communicate with each other through body language, they quickly become experts and reading ours.

If you attribute human qualities and reasoning abilities to your dog, your dealings are doomed to failure. Your pet doesn’t experience guilt, and blaming the dog because “he ought to know better” or “she shouldn’t have done it” will not improve behavior. Your pet also does not understand every word you say, and is only able to interpret your tone of voice, and body language. Once trust and understanding are established, training becomes very easy.