Thursday, February 7, 2008

Making Training Fun

While service dog training is a serious issue, that does not mean it can't be fun.

A good way to start with basic commands is to start with toys. Since dogs often pick up toys anyway a good way to start teaching the "get it" or similar command is when they pick up the toy is say "get it." Don't worry if they don't bring it to you right away. Remember start slow and make sure the dog understands what you want.

This concept can be used in other areas such as "bring it" and "take it." Remember to break up the commands and focus on one at a time. Once the dog understands the individual commands then they can be used in a series.