Your Dog’s Motivation
Dogs are pack animals, and they are happy to follow the pack’s leader. As a rule, as long as your dog sees you as a leader, your dog’s biggest motivation is to make you happy. Make it clear that you’re happy (through tone of voice, petting, praise, etc.) when your dog does well. Your dog will do what it thinks you want just for that.

If your dog needs a bit more than that, that’s okay, too. Using a kibble of his food to reward a job well done or a toss of his favorite toy can help some dogs learn faster and respond more consistently.

Being a Leader
Act like a leader and your dog will treat you like one. See our information on being a pack leader for things you can do to set yourself up as ‘top dog.’

When to Start
Start training the moment your dog walks into your home. Start showing him how to please you right away and you’ll have a grateful dog thanking you for it. And don’t believe that old dogs can’t learn new tricks. Dogs can learn tricks and new games well into adulthood. But if your old dog that has been well-mannered all his life starts to have problems, see your veterinarian before you blame the dog. You do not want to scold your pet for things he can no longer help.

Consistency
The only way your dog will ever learn is if there is a clear and consistent connection between your dog’s actions and your reaction. When you teach sit, offer a reward such as a favorite toy or a kibble of food or praise every time your dog does it right. If you don’t want your dog on the furniture, say “No” and guide him off every time he climbs up. Then praise him every time he gets four on the floor. Make it very clear. Otherwise, your dog will become confused. If you’re not consistent, you’re dog won’t be either.

Treats
Don't give any free rides when it comes to treats. Make your dog earn every one of them, even if it's just "sit." To help control caloric intake, many nutritionists recommend that you use a piece of dog food as a reward as often as possible.

When training, you want to work away from giving a food reward every time. Start gradually replacing the treat with praise. Once your puppy has learned a command, give the treat every other time, then every third time, always praising lavishly. Pretty soon, your puppy will work for praise - and the very occasional treat.

Correction
Dogs are not spiteful. If your dog is doing something wrong, it may well have gotten the idea that it was OK. You have to teach your dog otherwise. First, catch him in the act – dogs can’t connect a punishment to an action hours or even minutes ago. Never hit your dog. Instead, when you see your dog doing something wrong, say, “No” in a sharp tone. When your dog stops, praise him and give him something else to do like ‘sit’ or ‘come.’ Praise him abundantly for responding.

Remember, training does not have to be harsh. There are many different training methods available these days, so seek one that makes sense to you and helps your dog learn. There’s almost always another way to teach your dog something. If the method you’re using isn’t working, find another method before you get frustrated.