Virtually any dog can learn to behave in an obedient and well mannered fashion. There are several keys to simplifying the process of training your dog to obey you. Keeping these keys in mind when working with your dog will improve your results. Read on for ways to make dog obedience easier.

One important factor in training a dog is to be consistent. It doesnt take a lot of time, but the training sessions need to be done every day if possible. If you spend five minutes twice every day taking your dog through commands such as sit, stay, heel, and come, it will yield better results than an hour of training twice a week. Dogs have short attention spans, and need attention frequently as well.

Another key factor is to know your dog well enough to know how to reward or penalize it. Rewards are absolutely essential to training. Verbal praise can be one of the most effective. Pet that dog and tell it how wonderful it is when it does what it is supposed to. A food treat, such as a tasty kibble of dog food, is a classic reward, too. Make sure your dog hasnt just eaten a full meal or it will lose its effectiveness.

Punishment doesnt work as well, but there is a time when penalizing will work. This means providing a negative outcome when the dog is not doing what it should. Ignoring a dog when it is misbehaving can be a form or penalizing it, as can giving the leash a jerk. Beating or kicking a dog, or locking it up in a boring building for hours, are forms of punishment instead of penalty, and should be avoided.