If your dog isn’t properly trained in the basics, that it can be more than annoyance and turn into a safety hazard. For example, if you are out on a walk you need to be 100% certain that your dog will come to you should anything unexpected happen.

In general, teaching a dog follows the same outline with only the details changed depending on what you want to teach the dog. Below are instructions for training your dog to sit, but you can adapt them to whatever command or trick you wish.

So here is how to train a puppy to sit:

1. First of all, you need to set the right environment to teach your dog. Try to have training sessions while your dog is hungry so it will be more receptive to the treats you’ll be using as rewards. Also make sure your puppy isn’t tired or it won’t be able to learn as effectively.

2. Now onto the actual training. Hold a treat in your hand so it is visible to the dog and then slowly raise it upwards. At first your dog will try to look up, and then it will sit so it can jeep its eyes on the treat.

3. As soon as the dog sits issue the “sit” command. With practice, the dog should associate the act of sitting with the right command.

4. Repeat this several times then have a break. New puppies have notoriously short attention spans, and over training will provide poor results. As the puppy gets more confident try issuing the “sit” command without moving the treat.

Before long your puppy will associate the command with the action. The next step is to practice it in an environment where there are distractions, so that you know that when you’re really need your dog to be obedient it will be.

Training your puppy to sit should not be a chore for you or the puppy. Think of your puppy like a small child, and try to make training sessions fun. You’ll find you get much better results this way.

If you would like an indepth guide to house training, have a look at “House Train Your Dog“.

So here are a few tips on housebreaking puppies that might be useful to you:

• First and foremost, give the pup all the love and attention it needs. This probably won’t be difficult for most owners! However, it’s important to not make it feel unwanted and unloved. You have to make the puppy feel loved, comfortable and at home before you start the housebreaking routine. This is one of the most important tips on housebreaking puppies.

• Another essential tip on housebreaking puppies is to remember to include the entire family in the process of housebreaking. Everyone should contribute in their own special way and make sure that the puppy is never left unmonitored. But a special mention about the method of housebreaking should be made here. The whole family has to follow the same procedure and train the puppy accordingly. If there are too many instructions in too many different ways, the puppy will get confused.

• The next tip on housebreaking puppies would be to remember not to be too harsh with the puppy. You have to realize that accidents happen and that the puppy won’t always eliminate in the house on purpose. If you keep on scolding the puppy or yelling every time there is an accident, you won’t achieve anything and the puppy will only get scared of you. This can permanently damage the puppy/owner relationship.

• Puppies usually urinate or poop at the same spot, which they identify by sniffing. So if an accident occurs inside the house, clean the are properly and deodorize it as well so that the puppy can’t locate it the next time around.

• Praise and award the puppy every time it responds positively to the housebreaking process. This will do wonders to the confidence of the puppy and will pick up the training faster.

Keep these tips on housebreaking puppies in mind and you will not have any difficulty in training your puppy to keep the house clean! Shower the little guy with a lot of love and be patient and success will be yours.