Before you start teaching any trick, make sure you understand what you want your dog to do AND how you are going to command him to do it. Verbal? Hand signal? Both? Positive reinforcement always works better than negative reinforcement. Or, you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. Don’t reward bad behavior with treats or pets! Only reward good behavior. Dogs don’t necessarily understand human language. They learn repeated words and take cues from your body language and tone of voice. Make sure your voice is clear and firm. Make sure any hand gestures are clear. Give a … Continue reading →