Dog Training

 In This Chapter Giving old commands new meaning Getting started on some brand-new commands Maintaining a positive attitude Choosing instructors and classes Buying or making your own agility equipment I recently took up yoga. Friends promised I would love it. I’d feel more limber, more relaxed. There was even a pose called Downward Facing Dog….

In This Chapter Finding out what’s involved in agility Taking a look at course obstacles Assessing whether your dog has what it takes If you’ve never seen dogs performing an agility course, get ready to be amazed. It’s part crazy playground game, part circus act, and part synchronized equestrian-show-style jumping. It’s fun, it’s fast, and…

In This Chapter Showing emotion and acting silly Performing balancing tricks Playing housekeeper Preparing for the showdown at sunset Think your dog is clever? Here’s a chapter to put her to the test! What she doesn’t know yet she can learn, of course! Before long you’ll be winning prizes like “Biggest Drama Queen/King,” as you…

In This Chapter Teaching your dog to bark and stop barking on cue Sounding the alarm, singing, counting, and more Redeeming the problem barker Does your dog love to make noise? Does he bark when he’s happy, excited, when he doesn’t get his way? Is your biggest question not how to train him to vocalize…

In This Chapter Redirecting your dog’s enthusiasm with a cool jumping trick Turning your dog into your dance partner Teaching your dog to jump over, through, and into props It’s no secret: Dogs love to jump — on guests, counters, family members, each other — it’s all one big game. But for those of you…

In This Chapter Encouraging your dog to find certain objects Teaching your dog the basics of fetching Getting your dog to carry Having your dog bring you a tissue or a drink Having a dog who’ll retrieve in your home has many perks: the fun of fetch, a helper to carry in the groceries, a…

In This Chapter Teaching paw tricks Getting your dog to roll Teaching begging tricks Encouraging stretches This chapter highlights the building-block approach: using a simple trick as your foundation and then building on it to produce fancy variations. This approach takes a lot of the mystery out of complex training sequences, breaking down complicated routines…

In This Chapter Setting up places for your dog to relax Working on bathroom skills Redirecting barking, chewing, and jumping tendencies Doing tricks that show happiness and affection Playing games together I have a confession to make: When people first meet my dogs, they never say, “Wow! What phenomenally well-trained dogs!” What they do notice…