So you want a dog that follows your commands and is obedient? Then some training will be required. In this article I will give you some simple tips for training a dog that you can follow and use to positively modify the behavior of your pet so they become a "best friend" and not your worst nightmare.1. Use hand signals.Dogs can only understand a very limited vocabulary. In fact, most of the communication you're going to have with the dog is through body language and voice inflection. Don't neglect the body language aspect. In this case, hand signals can go a long way. In fact, a dog can be trained almost completely with hand signals if you know you're doing. The key is to keep their focus as you teach them with hand signals. This means to take away all distractions.2. Keep your verbal instructions simple.Like I said before, dogs do not have a good grasp of vocabulary. This is why most of dog trainers will only use one word phrases like sit, heal and fetch. But beyond that, if you're going to punish your dog verbally, it is better to say "bad!" then to say, "that was a very bad thing you just did".3. Consistency is the name of the game.Training a dog comes down to consistency. Consistently reinforces good behavior, and consistently punish bad behavior. But beyond that, consistency works in other ways as well. When you first begin potty training your canine, consistently take them out at the same time to the same location. You want to have your dog make simple associations; and the best way for them to make those associations is worth consistency.4. When training a dog, monitor them closely.This follows right on the heels of being consistent. The last thing you want to do is have your dog only behave around you. You want your dog to behave when you are present of course, but also when you are absent. This means that when you are going through any training, you have to keep a constant eye on them to make sure they are not chewing up things and going to the bathroom when you're not around. That way when you catch them doing something wrong you can punish them swiftly so they can make a simple association between their act and why they were punished.