Advanced obedience is to a canine what putting down the toilet seat is to a man - it takes patience in constant reeducation but it is possible. Dog obedience training is one of the most rewarding experiences between a dog and his master. You are not just doing yourself a great benefit; you are giving your pet a happier and fuller life. Obedient dogs are well-adjusted, confident and mentally quicker. You can be confident in it’s conduct even if you leave him alone with strangers.

The most essential thing to keep in mind in attempting to train your animal is to establish your role as the superior in your relationship. When he ‘gets’ that you are his master, it is much simpler to teach him the commands you expect him to obey. Confusing the dog in this aspect can be risky; he will be aggressive and try to control you himself. Don’t overcompensate and be excessively harsh to show you’re the master; be firm, keep your ground and fix this critical trait as soon as you see it rearing its ugly head.

Make your authority known by using a strong and sure tone in your speaking. As you say “Sit!” gently guide him in the desired position firmly. Each command will take several tries, especially in the initial stages. Progression from basic to more advanced obedience training is pretty much simple once your dog understands the patterns you’ve established in your teaching sessions.

The positive reinforcement method of training is rewarding your animal with treats or praise for correctly doing the command. It is themost useful way to train your dog; it’s what he comprehends. Praise your dog each time he does what you say correctly. At times, this is easy to overlook but make the extra effort not to. Dogs get confused easily and distinguishing good behavior every time will ensure that he remembers what is right.

Inversely, reprimand your dog whenever he commits a mistake. Do it during the mistake and not after so the dog will see the error of his ways. Scolding him will also emphasize the difference between what is good from what is bad. For instance, if he starts finding the unidentified dirt on the street interesting enough to eat, scold him then and there. Then put appropriate food before him to eat. When he starts dining on his own set meal, be lavish in your praise.

To be able to progress in dog obedience training, keep sessions short and as often as possible. Be repetitive in your commands. Don’t restrict teaching your canine during “school time” or certain hours of the day. Otherwise, he won’t want to study during summer vacation, so to speak.

Dogs in movies awe you with the level of difficulty of the stunts required of them. However, do remember that they all started with sit. Begin with the basics and climb your way up. With patience and constancy your dog will advance to more challenging stunts like growl, leave it, fetch and attack. Employ the same principles in how you trained him before and you will find success in the more advanced levels.

Now that you’ve got working knowledge of a professional trainer’s guide to advanced obedience training for dogs, it’s about time to roll up your sleeves, get the happy dog and commence training!