Rewards can be praise, treats, play, or anything that the dog finds rewarding. Reward or praise your dog for a good performance. It has been shown in animal behavioral science and among most trainers that dogs and other animals work better for reward than out of fear of the handler.

If the handler sometimes says "good" as a reward marker and sometimes as a keep going signal, it is difficult for the dog to know when he has earned a reward. It is important to note that the dog's reward is not the same as the reward marker. The reward marker is a signal that tells the dog that he has earned the reward. Many novice dog owners make the mistake of using effusive verbal praise as both a reward marker and a reward, which can confuse dog and owner. Failure to reward after the reward marker diminishes the value of the reward marker and makes training more difficult. In particular, mechanical clickers are frequently used for the reward marker. "Positive training methods" generally means preferring the use of reward-based training to increase good behavior over that of physical punishment to decrease bad behavior. The more rewarding a dog finds a particular reinforcer, the more work he will be prepared to do in order to obtain the reinforcer.

Dogs do not figure out basic obedience on their own; they must be trained. Dogs that are handled and petted by humans regularly during the first eight weeks of life are generally much more amenable to being trained and living in human households. Note that not all dogs are trained to voice command. Many working breeds of dog are not trained to a voice command at all; they are taught to obey a combination of whistles and hand signals. Dogs are also trained for specific purposes, including: Detection dogs Assistance dogs Herding dogs, livestock guardian dogs, and sheep dogs hunting dogs Police dogs Rescue dogs Schutzhund German for "protection dog". A well-trained guard dog protects person, property or objects on command and "turns-off" on command as well. Properly trained animals will guard on command and then when commanded to "out" will approach and accept in a friendly manner those that may have attempted to gain entry, cause harm or steal protected items. Assistance dogs, such as guide and hearing dogs, are carefully trained to utilize both their sensory skills and the protective instincts of dogs (as pack animals) to bond with a human and help that person to offset a disability in daily life. A trained dog is a content, balanced and happy dog. ) However, it does show what dogs are capable of, and this includes all dogs, hence the reason we believe all dogs should be trained in basic emergency stop and down commands, which even these dogs don't seem to know too well.

Once your dog is well trained you will find that you involve him in the family events more often and this alone will mean more exercise and better health for your dog. Bottom line is that a properly exercised and trained dog will bring you and your family more pleasure and for more years.