How to Train Your Dog to Count

So much of dog training has to do with necessary things which you need to train your dog to know. You need to potty train him, train him to regard you as his master, and train him to obey your every command. Such dog training is necessary to help him be happy, well behaved, and safe. Training your dog to do some things just for fun, though, is also important. It reinforces your necessary dog training, and also allows you both to relish your dog training sessions as "good times".

You can train your dog to do all sorts of things if you just spend some time with him, use positive rewards, and treat the dog training sessions like games. The dog loves this time spent together, and thoroughly enjoys the "game". You can train your dog to count with one of these fun ongoing dog training games.

My daughter has taught her dog to count up to eleven so far. Naturally, she started with one and two, and then little by little progressed upwards. She used the fact that he loves to bark as a springboard to train him to count. Now normally, her dog is used to hearing us telling him to stop barking. So when she started this game of letting him bark as long as he barked the right number of times, he absolutely loved it! She also holds up the correct number of fingers as she says the number to reinforce the spoken command with a "sign language" signal. Such nonverbal signs are also important when you train your dog. You give the command two ways -- spoken and nonverbal. This helps keep him alert to your every signal and command.

This dog training game has also given her dog an outlet for his need to bark. He now realizes that there are times he can bark and times he is not supposed to bark. So what seemed like a game turned out to be some important dog training which brought additional benefits to everyone!

Naturally, be sure to say his name when you want to train your dog, to get his attention onto whatever you want him to focus on. Keep the atmosphere light and lots of fun, and you both will see great rewards together.