Q&A for How to Train a Dog

Not necessarily. If you're adopting a mix from a rescue organization, it may be hard to determine what energy or traits that dog might have. In that case, you might want to consult a professional dog trainer who can pick up on energetic tendencies and attributes that may not be as apparent to a lay person.

Research different breeds to figure out their energy levels. It's very important to understand what each breed was created for, because many pure-bred dogs have innate tendencies, drives, and needs that you may have trouble satisfying. Certain breeds have naturally higher or lower energies, but there will remain a range within that breed that you'll want to consider. However, it's always best to get a dog with a little less energy than you so you're not constantly trying to keep up.

Before you choose a dog, consider your natural resting energy level. This is different than what you are physically capable of doing during recreation. You can enjoy vigorous exercise but still have a calm, mellow energy, for instance. Find the balance between that and your general physical activity level to find the sweet spot for your prospective dog's energy.

This is a tough one, as the puppy sees your feet as great toys! Be sure to stand still, and try distracting with an especially squeaky toy which you toss for him to chase. As a last resort, keep a small spray bottle of water in your pocket. When he goes for your feet, say "Stop" firmly, and if he doesn't, squirt him with water.

Try again! Find a tasty treat he loves and make him earn it as a reward. Work on one command at a time ("Sit" is a good one to start with) in a room without distractions. Use the treat to lure him into a sit, and, once his butt hits the ground, say "Sit" and give the treat. Train every time you remember you have a dog. Keep a pouch of treats on you, and train him a little bit at a time, but frequently, all day, every day. As he gets the hang of things, take his training outdoors where there are distractions, and persevere in the same way.

Eating feces, or "coprophagia," is a common problem among dogs. Make sure the dog is fed nutritious food so that he has no dietary deficiencies. If his poop is abnormal, get him checked by a vet, because he may be trying to correct a digestive issue. If the problem is entirely behavioral, avoid swooping on the poop to pick it up before he gets to it, because this only makes it more highly prized. Instead, try and distract him with a favorite toy or game, and then praise him for ignoring the poop. Likewise, teach him a "Leave It" command, so he learns to get a truly tasty reward when he leaves the unsavory offering alone.

This is a tough one because she obviously has a learned, deep-seated fear of crates. Forcing her into one will only make the problem worse. You can try desensitizing her by feeding her in the open crate, playing with toys in it, and seeding it with treats, but this all takes time. If she is truly distressed, then a gentle sedative from the vet is going to be the most humane option.

Let your dog smell a familiar object, then hide it under something like a towel while your dog watches. Say "find it" and reward your dog with a treat when he uncovers the object. Repeat this process, hiding the object in progressively more difficult locations until your dog learns to search for objects when you say "find it."

The trick is to get the dog to do the focus command ("look at me", or its name), and then give the command "sit" and reward that command. If the dog jumps on you do not give it a place to land, and reinforce that focus, and sit command. If the dog is overly hyper, probably you should do that, but also add in some structured exercise (fetch or go for a jog or run). See further: How to Stop a Dog from Jumping.

Make a special command or say "high five" and repeat it frequently so your dog understands that the command is a familiar word. Lift your dog's paw in the high five motion and high five her back with your other hand while repeating the command. Reward your dog. Repeat the process until your dog learns to high five on command.

Take him outside every few hours. Whenever he poops outside, immediately reward him. Soon he will link going to the bathroom outside with a good outcome and he will understand your expectation.

Take treats with you. Train him that if he is by your side, that he will be rewarded. If he pulls on the leash, then don't move until he comes back to you. When he stays by you, give him small treats one at a time, every few seconds. He will eventually learn that staying by your side is a good thing.

Don't punish your dog. Punishing a dog just teaches him to be fearful of you and makes him more difficult to train. Instead, teach him what he need to do. When he stays in the yard, you should praise him and reward him. This way, he'll learn that staying in the yard is a good thing. You can also teach him his boundaries by constantly walking him around your yard's perimeter!

Teach him the "drop it" command and use it whenever he starts to eat or chew something that does not belong to him. Give treats to reward your dog when he chews on his toys.

You can start with simple commands such as sit, lay, and speak as early as possible and add more complicated commands as the dog gets older.

As the owner of a hyper dog, the answer is exercise. If you have a very active dog, set aside some routine time to do structured exercise like jogging on the leash or playing fetch for at least 15 minutes straight. Once the dog has run off enough of the excess energy, and is also hungry enough to motivate training for rewards, start working on training commands.

Feed her some chicken broth, beef stock, or the like with pieces of meat in them (almost like a doggy soup).

Always wait until he stops whining, then give him a treat. Never give negative attention, or he could whine more.

When he/she starts nipping say "no" and then when he/she stops reward him/her.

Take her out often. If she uses the bathroom in the house before the time you take her outside, then reduce the time until you take her out again. For example, if you take her out every hour but she uses the bathroom in the house after 45 minutes, then take her out every 40 to 45 minutes.

When he does, say "no!" and give him a chew toy instead. Praise him when he chews the toy.

Tell him "No!" each time he barks and reward him when he stops.

The best thing to do is start training as soon as possible. This article on how to train your puppy provides some of the basics.

Start by making your dog lay down, then gently nudge it over, all while saying "roll over". Check out How to Train Your Dog to Roll Over for full details.

If he is scared every time you get out of the house itself (like in the yard), let him wander in the yard until he is no longer scared. Whatever you do, do not comfort him; this will tell him that it is OK to be scared. Do not let him hide behind you or carry him or climb onto your lap unless there is actual danger or he is being bullied. Let him work it out for himself. How long it takes him to get over this will depend on how long he has been doing this. When he gets over his outside fear, keep introducing him to new things.

No. Sloths are not dogs. Your friend should get advice on training and caring for the sloth from the rescue shelter, or call the local zoo and ask them.

It all depends on how you raise it. If you start training him/her at a young age, it won't be as hard as it will be if you wait until he/she is older.

The key to discouraging jumping is to take away the reward your dog is seeking for the behavior.

This behavior takes place when they are trying to get to know the other dog. Use a harness that does not aggravate your dog when you pull him or her away. Before your dog has even noticed the other dog, try to avoid the other dog so your dog does not initiate this behavior at all.

You could do it one at a time so it doesn't forget the simple instructions. When you train it a new command, don't forget to say "sit" or "paw", thereby reviewing what you've already trained it to do.