"Man's best friend"? That would be his dog, traditionally. This best friend could be a better one, if the dog goes through some dog training. A lot of women also consider their dogs to be their best friends, as well. The companionship a dog and his owner share is priceless. So you're thinking, now, that it would be nice if your best friend could do a few tricks...

You'll want to know a few things before you start training your dog. If you approach training with confidence, and act as if you know what you're doing, it will make your dog feel secure and eager to try what you're asking him to do.

Because dogs are so intelligent, it's never too late to teach them a trick or two. The best age for training, however, is between six and eight months of age. At that age, a puppy is very eager to learn new things. He's just generally more receptive then, and will cooperate enthusiastically with you.

If your dog is to learn the tricks you're teaching him in the easiest way possible, you need to understand the use of reinforcements. It is best to use positive reinforcements in training dogs. Just as most people want some recognition and praise when they've done an especially good job, dogs appreciate praise, along with a few dog treats. When your dog is able to respond to your commands correctly and precisely, it's time to give him a dog training treat.

Dogs are wonderful companions, and very trainable. Because their nature is so gregarious, they love to interact with their owners, and will make a strong emotional attachment if the owner is kind, affectionate, and firm. You'll soon appreciate the connection you and your dog have made, when you see how he responds to your teaching.

Be firm but friendly when you're dealing with your dog. Training a dog is very much like training a toddler: you need to be firm in stating what you want, but use a very positive voice. Don't try to intimidate your dog. You'll get much better results if you're friendly and calm when giving commands.

Your voice is important in giving commands. Learn when to use a high-pitched voice and when a low-pitched voice would be preferable. Your dog will become familiar with your usual voice tone, and with the tone you use when you're asking him to do something.

Although positive reinforcement leads to success in training, negative reinforcement, or punishment, is not a good idea. It is imperative that you as a dog trainer do not punish your dog in any way. If you punish him for not obeying a command correctly, he will become fearful and unable to focus on the training. All your commands should be consistent. Consistent training techniques make training your dog easier and faster, because he becomes familiar with the sounds and words used in the commands. It's best that only one person be involved in training a dog. That way, the dog will associate the commands with that person. It is important that the dog not be confused in any way.