Gerilyn J. Bielakiewicz - The Everything Essential Dog Training and Tricks Book: All You Need to Train Your Dog in No Time

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Avon, Massachusetts

Copyright 2015 by F+W Media, Inc.

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Contains material adapted from The Everything Dog Training and Tricks Book, 2nd Edition by Gerilyn J. Bielakiewicz, copyright 2009, 2003 by F+W Media, Inc., ISBN 10: 1-60550-022-4, ISBN 13: 978-1-60550-022-5.

ISBN 10: 1-4405-9019-2

ISBN 13: 978-1-4405-9019-1

eISBN 10: 1-4405-9020-6

eISBN 13: 978-1-4405-9020-7

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Welcome to The Everything Essential Dog Training and Tricks Book! This fun guide is packed with tips, tools, and expertise to help you train your four-legged friendno matter his size, breed, previous experiences, or temperament. Whether youre a new dog owner or youd like to teach your old pal some new tricks, this handbook is the ultimate resource for training your pet in no time. Whatever your reasons for picking up this book, youve come to the right place.

Yes, training does take a lot of time and energy. And in this age, with our increasingly busy schedules, being a dog owner can be particularly challenging. But this book gives you the tools you need to train a happy, obedient, and loyal frienda member of your packin straightforward terms with easy-to-follow instructions. In addition, this guide will help you handle major behavior problems, from digging to barking, and youll even learn some fun, crowd-pleasing tricks! As youre about to discover, training is a relationship, and like all relationships it needs to be maintained through lots of repetition and practice. With this pocket guide at your side, youll be able to enjoy the training process, and learn more about your dog (and yourself, too).

Truly, training has no designated beginning or end, since a dog is capable of learning throughout his entire lifetime. Initially, training involves lots of practice, and you may decide to supplement your training by attending classes to learn how to practice when surrounded by distractions. Eventually, you may not train your dog formally every day, but your dog will still be learning new things every day. Participating in that learning is what owning a dog is all about!

Ultimately, training helps you to build a great relationship with your dogand there is no greater reward for your hard effort than the loyalty and love of a faithful canine companion. Good luck to you and your dog as you begin training. Lets get started!

Teaching tricks is a must for every dog owner who thinks of her pet as part of the family. Training a dog is like any other relationship; it is partly about establishing rules and boundaries (what is and isnt acceptable), partly about teaching your dog what is expected of him, and partly about spending time together.

From the moment you bring your new puppy into your home, she is learning how to get along with your family, a species entirely different from her own. If your instruction is vague and inconsistent, her confusion about what is acceptable will manifest itself in undesirable behavior and mischief. If you spend time teaching your dog what is expected of her, you will be rewarded with a well-mannered pet who becomes a beloved member of your family. You get what you reinforce. If you pay attention to what your dog is doing right, youll reap the rewards of a well-behaved dog.

Teaching tricks is about having fun and being a little silly, but it can also greatly benefit a frustrated owner and an overactive dog. Teaching your dog to roll over or play dead may seem a bit frivolous until you realize that to do those tricks your dog must have some basic understanding of the Sit or Lie Down command. Teaching tricks capitalizes and improves upon what the dog already knows and makes it better. A goofy, energetic dog will keep her paws off the company, for instance, if she has a show-stopping Play Dead command in her repertoire. Another benefit of trick training is that it improves public relations with nondog lovers.

The beauty of teaching tricks is that they can be taught to any dog of any size, breed, or temperament; you are only limited by the dogs physical ability to perform the task. Its crucial for larger dogs, especially those whose breed alone makes people nervous, to learn some fun and silly tricks that they can do when they meet new people. People will react totally differently to a big, silly German shepherd balancing a cookie on her nose than they would to one sitting politely. This also has an added benefit for your dog: The more relaxed visitors are, the more your dog will like having them around.

Teaching tricks can help you control a dog who barks too much or shakes and shivers when he meets new people simply by giving him a more acceptable alternative. Trick training will make you a better dog trainer, a person who knows how to motivate her dog and has learned how to break things down into small parts. Since training your dog is a lifelong process, the more you practice the skills of a good dog trainer, the better you will become, and the more quickly your dog will learn.