Some Effective Dog Training Tips

All work and no play makes Ginger a dull dog. Teaching her a few tricks brightens her day and gives her a job to do. The more a dog learns, the less likely she is to be bored -- and boredom is a major cause of destructive behavior. To learn these tricks, your dog must already know two commands: down and come.

Crawl across enemy lines. All the famous TV and movie dogs know this trick. They use it when they have to sneak up on the bad guys, get messages past enemy sentries, or heroically drag themselves back to their beloved masters, despite their injuries. The only props you need are some bite-size treats such as kibble, bits of hot dog, or cheese cubes. This trick will link a command your dog knows (come) with a new one (crawl).

To start, give your dog the down command. Once she's in position, back up a few feet and kneel down with a treat in your hand. As you call your dog saying, "Ginger, come -- crawl," show her the treat and slowly pull it toward you along the ground. If Ginger stands up to get the treat, put her back in position and start over. If she crawls, even if it's only for a short distance, give her the treat and praise her. When she starts to get the hang of the trick, start making her crawl farther before you give her the treat.

Roll over, Ginger. Once your dog knows this trick, you can build on it to create more elaborate tricks, such as playing dead. As with the crawl trick, you need a supply of treats to teach your dog to roll over. Your dog will learn two new words for this trick: side and roll.

To start, your dog should be in the down position. Kneel in front of her with a treat in your hand. With an open palm moving in the direction you want your dog to lie (choose either left or right), encourage her to lie on her side. (If you want the dog to lie on her left side, use your right hand and vice versa.) As she moves into position, say, "Side." Practice this step several times until your dog has it down pat, rewarding her with a treat when she's successful.

The next step is to teach the dog to roll. With a treat in your hand, make a slow, complete circle as you say, "Roll." As your dog follows the motion of your hand, help her roll over, and give her the treat. Repeat this step until your dog can roll over without help. The roll should bring her back to the down position. When you are sure your dog knows the routine by heart, you can teach her to roll in the opposite direction.

We've covered the basics of how to train your dog. If you work on them consistently, you should have a charming, well-behaved pet.