Training your dog to perform tricks is no easy job that said, if a piglet [from Babe] could perform all those neat tricks, there is no reason as to why your pup shouldn’t. Of course, a pup is not a piglet, but is a lot cleverer and cuter [apologies to the porcine lovers out there]. Getting your pup from being just a pup to a show dog will take some effort and patience on your part. Here are a few pointers gleamed from the Adam G. Katz methods of dog training to help answer query ‘dog tricks, how to’.

1. Use positive reinforcement – This is a great tool to use while training your pup. For one, your dog will respond better to your commands and will get from A to Z a lot quicker if you take the time to use positive reinforcement with him. By using positive reinforcement, your dog will get the message that he is doing it right and as a result, will perform correctly from here on. With this method, you should be able to train your dog in all the latest tricks with little hassle.

2. Be firm – This may be a little difficult for you to do especially when you consider the hairy little pup before you. Believe me, pampering your pup or making ‘baby talk’ with it will not get you anywhere. You will need to be firm with your training methodology and make sure that he gets the message.

3. Do not punish your dog – Though this prospect may be a bit tempting at times, especially when he goes to the loo right on your Persian carpet, you must resist it at all times. For one, punishing your pup does not serve any purpose, other than to scare him silly. For another, pups have a very short term memory, so he is not even going to remember what he is being punished for. So try to control that impulse to punish him and treat him gently but firmly.

4. Patience is a must – It will take some time for your pup to master the trick so you will need to be patient with him. You must practice the routine with him again and again, at least till he gets the message. But at the same time, make sure that your training sessions are short [so that he does not get overworked] and fun as well. With a short fun session, your pup will take to the trick a lot quicker and will enjoy the session with you.

5. Attention span – Make sure that when you start training your pup, the room is free of any distractions. Pups, as well as dogs, tend to get easily distracted so make it a point to remove all distractions at least until the training sessions are over. You would be able to get the message across to your pup effectively with his full attention on you.

These are some of the pointers that you can use to train your dog in the latest tricks more effectively. With the Adam G. Katz methods, you should be able to train your dog to ‘fetch’ and even to play ‘catch’, the sky is the limit as far as doggy tricks go.