Dog Training 101: Do You Have What It Takes To Teach An Old Dog New Tricks?

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So you just got a rescue pup, and you think you're going to get him to the best dog on the block. OK, so maybe you're no Cesar Millan or AKC professional, but when it comes to creating a well-trained dog, we'd all like to think we've got skills. Of course dogs come in all shapes and sizes, from German Shepherds to Shih Tzus. And they have different personalities, and require a different approach. Dog training is all about patience, making a connection with your dog, and knowing how to communicate effectively with your poochy.
Take this quiz to see how much you know about the tricks of the dog-training trade. It'll all be worth it as you watch your canine companion to go from wild to well-behaved. Sit! Stay! Heel! 

I'm a 3-time Emmy-winning game show producer, writer, director and published author. I dig traveling, watching hockey, photographing wildlife and exploring the cultural and social fabric of society.

This quiz is about: animals dog dogs training tricks canine

Dog Training Quiz Questions

15 Questions · 208 Plays · No comments

Question 1

Which dog breed is so easy to train the American Kennel Club declared: "There is good reason this large and powerful breed is often used for police and military work"?

  • A
    Great Dane
  • B
    Chihuahua
  • C
    St. Bernard
  • D
    German Shepherd

Question 2

If you call someone a "heel" it's an insult, but in dog training "heel" is an important command to keep your dog on his best behavior. What is another way trainers often describe the act of a dog "heeling"?

  • A
    Controlled walking
  • B
    Food rejecting
  • C
    Limited barking
  • D
    Cat eating

Question 3

Those of us who have dogs know the frustration of a "training fail." When a dog fails to learn something you're trying to teach him, what is the most likely reason?

  • A
    The dog speaks Spanish and you speak English.
  • B
    What we have here is a failure to communicate.
  • C
    The dog is stupid.
  • D
    The dog is unwilling to learn.

Question 4

Service dogs are among the most revered of all canine companions, and their work relies on solid training. What is it called when a service dog goes directly against the owner's instructions in order to make a better decision?

  • A
    Stubborn disobedience
  • B
    Negligent disobedience
  • C
    Intelligent disobedience
  • D
    Bad dog good dog

Question 5

There are a lot of special tools trainers can use to get dogs to do things like go on America's Got Talent and win the hearts of the judges. What is it called when trainers teach behaviors in gradual steps using a marker and rewards?

  • A
    Wild conditioning
  • B
    Wakeboarding
  • C
    Trickbaiting
  • D
    Free shaping

Question 6

The Canine Good Citizen Test was established by the American Kennel Club to test a dog's achievements in training. Which of the following is NOT on the test?

  • A
    Coming when called
  • B
    Sitting politely for petting
  • C
    Eating slowly
  • D
    Not reacting to another dog

Question 7

It would be safe to say that Ivan Pavlov was one of the most famous dog trainers in history. In his famed experiment, what did he pair with feeding dogs to elicit a salivary response?

  • A
    Car horn beeping
  • B
    The dog's favorite song
  • C
    Bell ringing
  • D
    Gunshot

Question 8

Using negative reinforcement to train a dog is often considered unethical. Besides, who wants to be negative around a dog? Which of these is NOT considered to be a negative reinforcement training technique?

  • A
    Giving him a treat when he gives you his paw
  • B
    Bopping him on the nose when he barks
  • C
    Pushing his butt to the ground when you say "sit"
  • D
    Giving him an electric shock when he leaves the yard

Question 9

In April 2020, a University of Pennsylvania research program started training this breed of dog to sniff out Covid-19, hoping to employ them nationwide. Name this breed of virus-sniffing pooch.

  • A
    Labrador Retriever
  • B
    Chesapeake Bay Retriever
  • C
    Coonhound
  • D
    Hyena

Question 10

Most people don't reward their dog for marking, but there is a training technique known as "mark and reward". What is this type of training also known as?

  • A
    Click Training
  • B
    Mirror Training
  • C
    Finger Training
  • D
    Toilet Training

Question 11

We all know it's important to choose the right words. In dog training, words like "okay," "break," or "free" let your dog know that a command such as "stay" is over. What is the term for these special words?

  • A
    Break words
  • B
    Catch words
  • C
    Passwords
  • D
    Release words

Question 12

Anyone can be a dog training expert if you know how to motivate your dog to learn. According to Cesar Millan, the five essential commands you can teach your dog are sit, stay, down, come and what?

  • A
    Fetch me a beer
  • B
    Give me your paw
  • C
    Leave it
  • D
    Don't bark

Question 13

All dogs go to heaven, but not all dogs are easy to teach. Because of their one-track minds, which of the following groups of dogs are considered the hardest to train?

  • A
    Terriers
  • B
    Hounds
  • C
    Retrievers
  • D
    Shepherds

Question 14

This is a whippet, not only one of the fastest dogs but also amazing at a sport known as dock diving, which requires hundreds of hours of training. A whippet named Sounders holds the record, diving how far in 2019?

  • A
    Just over 28 feet
  • B
    Just over 22 feet
  • C
    Just over 35 feet
  • D
    He actually never landed

Question 15

Some dogs will rip up pillows or trash the place when their person leaves, but be totally calm and collected when they're at home. Why do dog behaviorists think that some canine companions act this way?

  • A
    They really hate those pillows
  • B
    They're saying "don't leave me alone!"
  • C
    Because there are no immediate consequences
  • D
    They're telling you they're not feeling well

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