Teaching your dog new tricks and good behavior is a terrific bonding experience, developing trust and reliance between you and your dog. Working with dogs of all breeds, Dr. Randal Sakaino and his pet-loving staff at Mililani Town Center Pet Clinic in Mililani, HI provide a full-range of pet services to keep your dog happy, healthy, and of course, well-behaved.

Dogs care about pleasing you and the tasty treat that you have in your hand. When training your dog, speak clearly and use simple commands, like “sit,” “stay,” “down,” and “off.” After your pup has performed the desired behavior, you should reward him within seconds. Even add a verbal praise right after you hand over the treat. This way, the command is engrained into your dog’s brain each time it’s delivered.

Consistency is also important when training for good behavior. Everyone in the household should use the same commands to avoid confusion in your dog. Consistency also entails rewarding solely for good behavior, like having your dog sit right before you go outside or right before they eat.

Never reward for bad behavior. This will only enhance bad habits and will create confusion for your dog. Is your dog not allowed on the couch? Commands like “down” or “off” immediately followed by a treat will teach your dog that the couch is a no-hangout zone.

Treats should be small and chewable for your dog. Try to have them on hand so that you and your dog can continue strengthening good behavioral habits often. When teaching your dog new tricks, reward him each time the trick is performed. Once your dog has learned the behavior well, give the treat more sparingly paired with verbal praise or intermittent reinforcement. Eventually, verbal praise will suffice for the behavior.

As a full-service veterinary clinic, Mililani Town Center Pet Clinic provides quality vet care, from regular check-ups to surgery. Keeping your pet healthy is the clinic's number one priority. Call (808) 625-6744 to schedule your appointment, or visit online for more information.