Like us, dogs can get cranky when they're tired. And if they aren’t in the mood to work for a reward they probably won’t. But if you can get their attention by using a game, training will always be fun, effective and positive.

The “come” command is one of the most important and although it isn’t that hard to learn, it is hard to get consistency. The world is full of amazing sights and smells and your dog will be very tempted to explore new things than respond to you when you call. Continuous re-enforcment is the only way to get the consistency you need. That doesn't sound interesting? Well, our kids stumbled on an excellent exercise that we now use all the time and that has resulted in a consistent and conditioned response when we call our dogs. And that, is hide and seek!

Use Games in Your Dog Training

Prepare some chicken dog peices or whatever treat your dog loves and pick a time when he's a little hungry. Put him in a stay and then go hide in a different room. Make it fun – get behind a door, stand in the tub – something unusual. Nex, call him [her]. He'll [she'll] come as fast as he [she] can. It may take a couple of minutes for your dog to figure out where you are if you've really hidden. It's hilarious watching them race in and start sniffing around looking for you! And of course, make sure you give him [her] a treat when he [she] finds you!

The kids could do this for hours. The howls are hilarious and make the game even more fun - for the dogs and the kids. Your dog is re-enforcing the conditioned response of coming when her [his] name is called and its FUN. The other benefit of making this game a family activity is that your dog is learning to respond to the come command from all members of the family. Feeling silly shouldn't be a worry for any adult - it's a great exercise for us as well. You might feel a bit out of place the first time you stand in the bath tub waiting for your dog to find you but when he rushes in and immediately gets his head around the curtain and starts sniffing, you'll laugh outloud! You'll feel young again!

Training Should Progress Logically

Of course, this isn’t the first dog training exercise you need to master. The need to learn to focus on you - otherwise you won't be able to teach them anything else. And you should probably do some homework and consult one of the better dog obedience training books. But if you’re always looking for ways to make the training fun, it’s going to be. Not just for you, but for the whole family and your dog.

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