There is no such thing as a perfectly trained chin

As any reputable dog trainer or book will tell you, canine learning comes from repetition. When a behavior is repeated often enough, dogs develop habits, or conditioned responses.  Assuming those habits are positive ones, such as eliminating outside, coming when called, lying down and staying when told, and others - you will have what you want: a trained Japanese chin. That's because all dogs are creatures of habit. Once you set up a routine of signals and conditioned responses, your dog will do exactly what you tell him every time. Right? Not exactly...

No trained response is infallible. Creatures with advanced brains can think - and they can also make mistakes. Think about two of your own conditioned responses. When the telephone rings you have a habit of answering it, but one day you decide not to take any calls. The telephone rings but you decide not to take any calls. The phone rings but you keep reading your book. You know what you normally do, but today you decide not to do it. You also have a habit of stopping at stop signs. But one day you are tired and distracted and you roll through an intersection. Even the most experienced drivers make mistakes.

Similarly, there will be times when even the best-trained dog will either defy training or make a mistake. So it is in everybody's best interest that you avoid becoming complacent or over confident about learned behavior. Do not rely on conditioned responses in potentially dangerous situations. For example, you should never unleash even the best-trained chin near a busy road. One mistake could result in injury or death to your beloved pet.

All dog owners need to reinforce their pet's conditioned responses. Certainly the more practice and proofing you do with you dog, the more reliable his response will be. Skilled human beings, from tennis pros to typists, need practice to stay in top form. This is because all learned skills need reinforcement.

When you feel you have achieved a well-trained dog, continue to practice obedience exercises once in a while. It can be fun for you and the dog and it reinforces the good behaviors you worked so hard to achieve.

Settle down your rambunctious puppy

Chins are naturally calm dogs but they can get unruly when they want attention or are playing. Dogs aren't like radios or a video game, you can't pull the plug or remove batteries. You have to teach them to settle down and shush. When playing with your puppy have him settle down every fifteen seconds for just a few seconds. Increase the amount of time for the break period gradually and your puppy will learn that being asked to settle down is not the end of the world or the end of the play session.

As I said, Japanese  chins aren't the most rowdy dogs but training them to calm down on command is still important. Letting your dog play indiscriminately as a puppy will only train him to play indiscriminately as an adult.

Protection training

Protection training- dogs can be trained to be dangerous and to bark, bite and attack. Some breeds are more easily trained but all dogs with teeth and vocal cords can be threatening.

Having your family pet go through protection training is not recommended. Most families cannot handle a protection trained dog and there is little reason for them to have a protection trained dog. Too many pet owners have been talked into this type of training without being properly educated about it. Some guard dog trainers argue that if the right dog is properly trained he will not become vicious and randomly attack. This may be true but there are two things that are very key in that statement. The "right" dog and proper training. A German shepherd has a naturally easygoing disposition and may be easier to handle than a Doberman. But any dog will need to have proper training. An absolute must is obedience training. Only after successful obedience training should you attempt to protection train your dog. Find a trainer who will teach you how to train your dog to attack on command. You will have to keep your dog on a leash unless he is very well trained in obedience and instantly stays put on command.

Most dogs are instinctively protective, but not as puppies and it may take from 18 months to two years for them to show strong protective instincts. So don't rush your 1-year-old puppy off to protective training, his protective instinct is coming.

Rewards, punishments, and dominance in puppy training

If you have ever trained a Japanese chin, or are in the process of doing so, I am sure you are quite familiar with rewards and punishments.  Dogs and puppies learn new things and change their behavior only if the desirable behavior is rewarded or bad behavior punished. You can reward your puppy for performing certain things on command, such as what we have covered already in puppy training- lying down, coming, heeling, and sitting.

Rewards can be as simple as petting and saying "Good dog." Or you can use food treats, if they are not overdone, especially a treat that your puppy really enjoys. Meat is a really good treat to us. A word of caution here about rawhide treats- if you do buy rawhide treats for your puppy or already have be sure to check them regularly to make sure your chin is not chewing pieces off and swallowing them.

Most puppies learn rapidly and willingly if there are rewards. For example, when you are housetraining your puppy and he can eliminate in the desired area outside, praise and affection, along with treats, will effectively train him.

Most punishments that you give your puppy are interactive punishment. Hitting your dog with your hand, rolled up newspaper, or shouting at him is interactive punishment. The animal clearly associates the adverse reaction with the person giving it. Interactive punishment should only be given when owners must assert dominance over their puppy to maintain an acceptable dominate-subordinate relationship, especially if threatened.  If your puppy or dog growls or snaps at you and they are not doing it out of fear it is best met with force. One of the most common problems of dog-owner relationships is insufficient dominance and it often stems from a lack of assertiveness.

Of course the need to assert your dominance varies from breed to breed. Your Japanese chin will not require as much punishment as a Doberman pinscher would.

Go Lie Down

To many dog owners "go lie down" is their favorite command. The “GO lie down” not only tells the dog to lay down, it tells him to do it elsewhere. When you are busy with something, “Go lie down” is the command you need to send your overly affectionate Japanese chin someplace else. You do not need to give him attention every time he wants it. If he's just had his walk, eaten well, had plenty of exercise and play time, “Go lie down” is a humane, handy answer to your own personal dog problem.

Put your dog on a leash before you begin. Then point to a corner in the room you two are in and say "go lie down." Take him to where you pointed saying "go lie down" and "good boy!" When you are in the corner, instruct your dog to lay down and go sit somewhere else in the room. After he stays for a minute or two say "Ok, good boy!" Pet him when he approaches you and repeat the exercise two more times, varying the time he stays down.

Practice this exercise three times a day and in different rooms. Eventually your dog will do it no matter wherever you are. Early on if he lies down on the spot when you say "go lie down" take him to the spot where you pointed to and and say "go lie down." When he is just learning the command it is an honest mistake and it is easily corrected. However if your trained chin is laying down on the spot he is trying to get his way instead of doing what you told him to. Say "No, go lie down" and take to where you pointed and make him lie down.