Not everyone loves and appreciates dogs like you do and that is why training your dog is the most important part of caring for your dog. Informal training should begin as soon as you bring your puppy home at 8 weeks. Due to differing temperaments, some dogs are easier to train than others. We all like to be praised rather than punished. The same is true for your dog, and that's the theory behind positive reinforcement. Positive reinforcement means giving your dog something pleasant or rewarding immediately after she or he does something you want them to do. Because your praise or reward makes them more likely to repeat that behaviour in the future, it is one of your most powerful tools for shaping or changing your dog's behaviour.

Correct timing is essential when using positive reinforcement. The reward must occur immediately-within seconds-or your pet may not associate it with the proper action. For example, if you have your dog "sit" but reward her after she's already stood back up, she'll think she's being rewarded for standing up.

For your dog, positive reinforcement may include food treats, praise, petting, or a favourite toy or game. Food treats work especially well for training your dog. A treat should be enticing and irresistible to your pet. It should be a very small, soft piece of food, so that they will immediately gulp it down and look to you for more. Each time you use a food reward, you should couple it with a verbal reward (praise). Say something like, "Good dog," in a positive, happy tone of voice. Some pets may not be interested in food treats. For those pets, the reward could be in the form of a toy or brief play. 

When you start to train your puppy or dog start by training on a lead as this will enable you to have more control.

Teaching the "sit"

Use your dogs name in an enthusiastic voice in order to get his attention.

Hold a treat just above his nose and slowly take it up and back, as your dogs head comes up his bottom should go down to the floor (if he jumps up you have the treat too high).

 As your dogs bottom goes down give the command "sit"                   

 Praise your dog in the sit position and reward with the treat. 

 Release your dog from the position with the "finish" command as you encourage him

 forward.