If you're going to travel with your dog, you and your puppy pal need to put in some training time. Training should be a fun activity for you and your favorite canine companion. Pick a time of day when you both are alert and ready for some fun. Fun is a key element for obedience training for both you and your dog. Right before meal time is a good time. If you're not in a happy relaxed state of mind your dog won't be either. Keep the sessions short, no more than 10 minutes to begin with. Puppy attention spans are short.

Train in an area where there are few distractions. The back yard isn't the best place to train in the beginning. Stay away from other dogs and kids until you're sure your dog knows the basics commands. Then expand where he is trained to different environments. If you've always trained in your living room your dog might not think the commands are applicable in the great outdoors.

Consistency is important. Use the same words for the same behaviors. Stay and wait can both mean the dog stays in the same place, but the dog doesn't know that. Choose either the one or the other and use it all the time. The same thing with down and lay, or paw and shake. Choose one command and stay consistent.

Come is a critical command for your dog to learn and one of the easiest. Sit is a useful command and you'll be surprised how your dog almost learns that one by himself. Start with commands that the dog does naturally. Most dogs lay, so your job is to teach him to associate the word "lay" with what he does when he lays down.

One command you might not think of is to teach your dog to wait on your signal to leave the car when you open the door. When you're in the garage at home it doesn't make a lot of difference, but if you're in a hotel parking lot and your dog bolts that's a different story.

Walking in a strange location means you have to take extra precautions. You pooch may be friendly to everybody at home but a little leery of strangers in a strange place. For the first few walks away from home try to find a quiet route where he can sniff and explore without a lot of distractions.

No matter where you walk your dog make sure his collar includes a tag with your contact information, preferably a cell phone you always have with you. And keep your buddy on a leash all the time unless you're in an off leash park.

Stay positive. If your dog doesn't get the commands right away that's okay, he will eventually. Always praise and try not to scold. Use treats as a reward when your dog starts to get the command. If she starts to sit reward that effort. You can use regular dry dog food bits as the treat. If your dog is small, make sure the training treats are considered as part of his diet. You don't want a pudgy pooch. End the session with a command your dog already knows well. Then give him or her lots and lots of praise.

About the Author

Get your free report The Traveling Dogs Visit Rose and Kate. Rose is our rowdy Irish Setter and Kate is our adorable Springer Spaniel. They even have their own blog. Dee Power is the author of and several nonfiction books. Read her blog