Top Dog Training Tips From Professionals and Dog Owners

A wagging tail usually means an aroused dog and can be related to fear and insecurity. See body language a happy dog has a whole body wiggle.

Dogs always default to most reinforced behaviors.

Give your dog choices it empowers them!

Do You Really Need To Crate Train Your Dog? A few words about crate training philosophy Your dog (or puppy) does not initially understand how to live inside a house when they come home with you (even older dogs or rescues). Their sense of smell can lead them into all kinds of trouble...chewing couches or chairs or shoes, running into the street (following a scent), or snarfing down a bottle of prescription pills. It is your job, as the human, to help your dog be safe in his environment. Safety is established through crate training and supervision in the house. As you and your dog build trust, your dog is allowed longer and longer periods unsupervised out of the crate. See more on crate training here

Just like you expect compensation for your efforts, dogs also deserve rewards. While they may love you, their motivation extends beyond simply pleasing you. Instead of assuming obedience, offer positive reinforcement such as praise, treats, or playtime. Without it, dogs seek gratification elsewhere, often resulting in unwanted behavior. Rewarding good choices encourages future compliance, fostering a desire to fulfill your requests. See positive reinforcement here

Positive reinforcement training relies on rewarding behaviors that dogs find rewarding. Rewards must align with your dog's preferences for effectiveness. Tier rewards based on your dog's favorites, using lower tiers for simpler tasks, such as dry food or carrots, and saving top-tier rewards like chicken breast or playtime for more demanding situations or complex behaviors.

Which states behaviors that are followed by good consequences are likely to be repeated. (Edward E Thorndike) Behaviors that are reinforced will be repeated.

Take a deep breathe and walk away then come back and start over. Always keep it fun for all.

A growl is part of a dogs warning system never punish the growl. If we suppress the growl a dog can skip right to a growl. Usually a dog gives even more observable body language before the growl that we humans miss. see more on body langauge here

As you could guess, well-socialized puppies most often turn into well-socialized dogs. When you talk, pet, play, and love your puppy, you are setting them up to have successful social skills. By knowing the stages of puppy-hood, you can know what to expect and how best to raise them as they grow. See puppy socialization here

Soak some kibble in warm water until soft and use that for reinforcing behaviors throughout the day.