Teaching tricks can help you control a dog that barks too much or shakes and shivers when he meets new people simply by giving him a more acceptable alternative. Trick training will make you a better dog trainer, a person who knows how to motivate her dog and has learned how to break things down into small parts. Since training your dog is a lifelong process, the more you practice the skills of a good dog trainer, the better you will become, and the more quickly your dog will learn.

The most difficult part of being a beginner is that you are learning at the same time that you are trying to teach your dog. Be patient with yourself; dog training is a physical skill that requires lots of practice and repetition. You will reap the rewards a hundredfold the first time it all comes together and your dog performs perfectly.

To teach tricks, you will find you need to be able to break things down into component steps that are easily achieved in a training session. You will get really good at knowing how much information your dog will need to succeed at a given trick, and exactly when to fade out the extra help so that your dog can perform on his own.

These skills come with time and practice, but there are several things you can do to help speed up the process:

• Keep a notebook to record your training sessions.

• Before you begin, map out the steps involved in teaching the trick.

• Make sure you make your plan flexible.

• Be ready to add in more detailed steps if your dog has trouble understanding what you want.

• Arm yourself with the best treats and rewards to keep your dog motivated.

• Time your sessions; try not to make them longer than five minutes.

• Familiarize yourself with clicker training; it will save you tons of time in the long run.

Performing tricks keeps old dogs young, agile, and flexible and gives young energetic dogs an outlet for their energy. There is no truth to the old saying “You can't teach an old dog new tricks.” Your elderly companion can indeed pick up new tricks to add to her repertoire.

• Try to stick to the plan you've mapped out; don't click the dog for lots of different behaviors in one session.

• If you get stuck on one particular trick, brainstorm with a friend about how to help your dog through it.

• Add in distractions as soon as the dog starts to get the hang of what you're trying to teach.

• Don't be afraid to go backward and review previous steps if your dog's behavior falls apart in a new place.

In general, being a good trainer is best indicated by your dog's attitude. If you keep sessions upbeat and fun, make it easy for your dog to succeed, and make sure that you end on a positive note, it won't be long before your dog thinks that working with you is better than anything else in the world.