The Association of Pet Dog Trainers has declared January 2010 as National Train Your Dog Month.

“Hundreds of thousands of dogs have been turned into animal shelters because their owners didn’t know how to deal with behavior problems and couldn’t find a reliable resource to help them . . . we can bring awareness to the importance of socialization and training, and most of all, to inform the public that training your dog can be simple and fun! The APDT has selected January as the perfect month because, as we all know, so many dogs and puppies are adopted and brought home during the winter holidays. Our desire is to help these new pet parents start off the new year with their newest family member in the best way possible.”

The website for the Month has a  section on puppy and dog training tips.  I  liked  Help Your Dog Love Visiting the Veterinarian.     I also liked the lists of different uses for the various training skills suchas .

For example, some uses for sit:

Sit at the door when guests enter (no jumping up!)
Sit to have leash and collar put on before going out.
Sit in the kitchen to avoid counter surfing.
Sit while food is being served at the dinner table.
Sit while bowls are being put on the ground to prevent rushing and spilling the bowl. (We use this for both Hobbit and Ella)
Sit before getting in the car so you can load it first.
Sit when you open the car door so your dog doesn’t jump out into traffic.
Sit at sidewalk curbs to wait until it’s safe to cross the street.
Sit and look at you instead of barking at other dogs on a walk.
Sit to prevent your dog from running off.
Sit while you get your keys out at the front door.
Sit to clip nails on front paws. (I use this for Hobbit)
Sit at the top/bottom of a staircase so you don’t trip over your dog.
Sit before owner throws favorite toy. Repeat for each toss.
Sit before taking down the baby gate or other management barrier, or before coming out of the crate.
Sit calmly to have front feet dried off in rain/muddy weather.
Sit patiently while owner pets or treats other dogs in the household.
Sit stay while owner pays for items at the pet supply store.
Sit stay while others pass by when you’re on an off-leash hike.
Sit stay to keep dog from getting over-stimulated by any exciting situation