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     Do you remember the story of the Little Engine That Could written by Watty Piper? It`s a children's story used to teach children the value of optimism and hard work. Parents often times can be heard coaching their children and offering support as their child tries their best to learn a new skill or conquer a new physical or mental challenge. It teaches children to keep trying even when the obstacles seem overwhelming or the task beyond their current skill level.

     Now let's put a new twist on the story and consider how we might apply this same message to our family puppy or dog. How can we convey the same message to another species and get our dogs to persevere in the face of new challenges? How often do we really teach them something new? Face it our dogs already know how to sit, lie down and stay in one place, what we are really teaching them is that these behaviors have a name (cue) and if they are willing to perform the behavior when we ask they can reap rewards (treats/access to outdoors/play).

     One of the key benefits to using reward based rather than traditional training methods is developing a dog who will offer behaviors without fear of punishment if they offer something new. When teaching our dogs something new or when teaching them to perform a behavior at a new level we need to remember to set them up for success through out the learning phase. Here are a few things to keep in mind when you are trying to train something new:

     1. Start in a low distraction area

     2. Make the first steps easy enough for your dog to be successful & reward them generously for their efforts

     3. Build gradually on the skill you are teaching; asking too much too quickly will frustrate both of you

     4. Give your dog time to THINK, don't rush in or repeat the cue in an effort to help them

     5. Train in small increments of time; 30 seconds - 2 minutes then play with your dog or take a break

     The rewards for both species is evident once you see how much fun training can be.

     Find a local trainer by visiting http://www.apdt.com or http://www.petprofessionalguild.com. Most important have fun with your dog!