Ever since that great video featuring Tyson the skateboarding bulldog hit it big on Youtube, skateboarding has become a standard dog trick that owners attempt to train. Most owners start by using some basic method of luring the dog onto the skateboard with a treat or pointing to the skateboard and hoping the dog will get on. If he does, then they praise and pet him like they would a child who has finally managed to ride a bike without the training wheels. They may even give the dog a treat. For some natural-born skateboarding dogs, this crude technique works.

Originally appeared in SF Chronicle in 2005      

Question: Perfect Puppy in 7 Days With over 400 color photos, Perfect Puppy in 7 Days is a step-by-step recipe for potty training socializing, and providing your puppy with life skills. Dr. Yin’s approach guarentees proper bonding and communication skills to better prepare you pup for life! Hi Dr. Yin, your videos are great but you’re an expert! Will it work for someone like me who does not train dogs for a living? I really liked the Pepe one with the crate. What if the dog is not treat driven? That was great!! I’m getting a standard Poodle puppy in

Perfect Puppy in 7 Days With over 400 color photos, Perfect Puppy in 7 Days is a step-by-step recipe for potty training socializing, and providing your puppy with life skills. Dr. Yin’s approach guarentees proper bonding and communication skills to better prepare you pup for life! During the summer of 2009 my dad declared he wanted an Australian Cattle Dog puppy—meaning he wanted me to get one for him and train it. Given that I live almost 100 miles from him that meant I really only had a week tops to start the training. Fast forward almost two years, and

Have you ever wondered why lions and tigers and other wild cats on T.V. can learn so many tricks while all your domesticated house cat can do is sit and meow at you for her meals? Well, not surprisingly, our domesticated felines can learn cat tricks as quickly as their flashier television counterparts, once their humans learn a few basic training secrets. In fact, once you know the secrets, you’ll be able to train cat tricks like a pro. Here is the basic approach followed by a simple cat trick you can train. General Tips and Approach to Training Cat

You know your dog is the coolest canine on the block. Want your friends and family members to know too? Whether your pooch is 7 weeks or 17 years old, he can learn flashy tricks and enjoy performing them too. Better yet, these tricks can also help train Fido to be calm. Bang (a.k.a: Lie on your side) Start with Fido lying down with his belly on the floor. The “trick” to this trick is training him to turn his head to the side so that he will shift his weight onto one hip without your having to physically position him