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Training a dog is really pretty simple, once you grasp a few concepts and are consistent in applying them. It's sort of like all those diet books that claim to have secret formulas for you to lose weight - when all weight loss really boils down to is fewer calories going in and more calories being burned up. You just have to stick with the program. Like dieting, teaching manners to your dog takes commitment and discipline (on your part), and while you may get faster results with some dogs than others, the results will always require some effort to maintain.

Here we won't focus on the typical training commands, the obedience commands tested in dog shows or those taught by many traditional dog trainers. There is much more to manners than drilling a prescribed, strict way for a dog to heel or come; here we will talk about manners more than anything, about a dog understanding what you want and being responsive to it. It's about "civilizing" your dog so that living together is a pleasant experience on both sides and you're able to develop a way of communicating.

There is really no mystery about getting a dog to behave in ways that please you. Dog trainers have evolved into teaching two simple fundamentals: reward the behavior that you want and ignore behavior that you don't. There's no secret to success other than an owner's commitment to sticking consistently with this simple plan.

Some of the topics you'll find in this series of training tips are:

• Training classes - group or private?
• The latest philosophy about training
• Ways to reward desirable dog behavior
• Ways to correct a dog effectively while avoiding punishment
• Using language and tone to your advantage when communicating with the dog
• Mistakes in communication and avoiding them
• Training commands: tips for success

Dogs will repeat a response that brings them a reward - and they'll be less likely to repeat anything that does not bring a reward.

Don't yawn and think, "Wow - tell me something I don't know," or feel irritated that you're being patronized. Embrace the Zen simplicity of those two linked ideas and you'll have everything you need. No need to buy books devoted entirely to training (and then give up halfway through because the theory bogs you down). No need to feel there's something amiss with you or your dog because you can't execute commands with military precision. Follow along with the ideas in this chapter and discover your own communication style with your dog. 

 
Shaping your dog's behavior isn't something you do once and it's over. Training is part of an ongoing "conversation" between you and your dog. Every day you reinforce what he already knows.

• Training is Not a Chore
  Training doesn't need to be a boring obligation that both of you look for ways to avoid. It should be fun, a way to bring you together and develop communication pathways.

• Training Can Make You Feel Awkward
  Don't be discouraged if, in the beginning, training is frustrating or makes you feel foolish. It's natural for both you and the dog to be somewhat ill at ease until you get the hang of each other. Think of training exercises as two people learning to ballroom dance together; you expect some toes to get stepped on before you glide smoothly across the floor.

• Don't Change Your Personality
  A strange thing that happens to many dog owners is that their personality changes when they embark on training their dog.  Instead of viewing it as a fun project that they'll do together with their pup - a mutual discovery of ways to communicate - people often view dog training as a serious work assignment, a challenge to transform their dog into a super-obedient foot soldier who follows orders.  Because of this, a person who is warm and cozy with her dog may suddenly adopt a military bearing and tone of voice in teaching and correcting her dog.  His mistresses' attitude is alien to the dog - especially a sensitive dog, who may think his owner's harsh tone means he's already done something wrong before he begins.