Shhhh... don't tell the dog I'm on this tree.

Dog parks can be good for more than just exercise and relief. What about small dog training? A trip to the dog park can be a great way to teach your small dog, or any sized dog for that matter, socialization and proper interaction with other dogs and people. With a little smart pre-planning, training in a dog park can be an interesting and pleasant diversion for you and your dog. We’re not talking about beginning a sit/stay lesson at the park, but it could be a good place Read the rest of this entry

Small dog training can be a little harder on your back at first just because a smaller dog is so much closer to the ground than a bigger dog. But it shouldn’t take long to teach your small dog the basic sit command and, over the long run, most people are very happy they took the time.

First read though the handpicked small dog training articles listed below and familiarize yourself with Read the rest of this entry

Small Dog Training Advice:

Your dog can learn to pose for the camera, too. After each successful photo, be sure to let your small dog know it was a job well done!

There’s more to small dog training than sit, stay, fetch and puppy potty training.

Photographers have been using this trick for years for children and animals and now there’s Read the rest of this entry

They’re each only about 1 minute long, but pack a power punch of good, common sense training for you and your small dog.

These 11 small dog training lessons are also available as podcasts via iTunes by clicking on the iTunes button at the lower right corner of the video.

The only thing I would add is to use your dog’s name when Read the rest of this entry

Small dog training advice often ends up including food to reward for right behavior. Of course, your dogs individual personality will be a huge factor in whether food is necessary to get his full attention and commitment. Breed will also be a big factor just because some breeds are naturally more eager to please than others. In fact, for those dogs it would be more of a distraction, so I suggest you don’t Read the rest of this entry

Is small dog house training really easier if you sit down a lot? I vote yes.

It’s natural for puppies to relieve themselves right where they are when the urge strikes. If crated, or otherwise contained, they instinctively prefer to go as far away from their food and water as possible. It’s us who wants them to learn a new “trick”. So isn’t it only fair that we do everything possible in the first couple of weeks to ensure their success? Read the rest of this entry

Does positive dog training mean no discipline? Discipline is good. Punishment is not. Do you know the difference?

Punishment was king for many decades and not only in dog training. In more recent years, society has struggled to progress beyond such unnecessary cruelty and has made great strides, but not without creating some confusion about what the difference is between the discipline and punishment.

Positive dog training comes in two flavors Read the rest of this entry

Hey there, Superhero dog owner. I’m so glad you stopped by! Let’s talk about obedience training for small dogs. This is a great time to get address some questions I’ve been asked about obedience training for dogs.

Q: Why bother with obedience training?: Read the rest of this entry

Most people use the terms “dog potty training” and “dog house training” and even “house breaking” interchangeably. And usually it’s women rather than men who say they’re potty training their dog. House training is the most essential requirement of owning a dog, yet it’s often one of the most difficult for people because they won’t make the necessary time commitment to consistently stick with it until the job is complete.

Training a dog to go “potty on command” isn’t exactly the same thing, but it can easily be taught at the same time. If done correctly, Read the rest of this entry