What is the most important aspect of all in dog training? Patience, patience, patience. Dogs are often naturally social and affectionate animals. Once your pet realizes you are its owner, friend, provider of food, and caretaker, you will gain a loyal and devoted fan. But this is a simultaneously strong and fragile relationship.

You must always treat your dog with respect and kindness. Never, ever hit, kick, or otherwise antagonize or attack your dog. (There are the extreme circumstances when one might need to do so for personal protection, but instances of pet dogs attacking their kind, thoughtful owners are very few and far between.)

If you have young children, it is very important that you explain that the new dog is a living, breathing creature that should be respected and loved. It is not a stuffed animal or a plaything, but another member of your household.

Sometimes even the most patient dog will resort to growling, snapping, or biting if constantly irritated, poked, prodded, or injured by young, unknowing children. On the flipside, if children (and adults!) treat the dog with patience, gentle hands, and warm, dulcet tones, the dog will become gentle, loving, and calm.

With regards to training, realize that you are asking your dog to do some odd things. In their natural environment, dogs would not be required to sit, stay, or shake on command. Understand that your dog is attempting these behaviors to please you, and know that dogs do not often understand and perfectly replicate a skill in just one sitting. It takes days, even weeks, of repetition and encouragement to train your dog. If you do not want the dog in certain rooms use your hand as a traffic cop and say firmly but gently "NO," and stay that way until the dog gets the message. Consistency, repetition and softness are the keys to successful training.

At night if you let your new dog into the bedroom, it will quickly settle down. Your closeness and scent are a source of security in a bewildering, new environment. Remember, however, once you have allowed the dog into the bedroom, you are committed. Like all learned behavior, your dog will respond and will expect to be allowed to continue the behavior.

If the dog is not allowed into the bedroom, please keep it nearby and develop it's confidence with soft words of assurance.

Remember that the hand that trains is the hand that feeds. Typically, your dog will start bonding at feeding times. Although others in the family may want to share in the feeding, at first it is best for one person to do the feeding.

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