Before learning the meaning of any word or verbal command, dogs respond to the sound and tone of their person’s voice. Dog trainer Cesar Milan explains that communication people have with their dogs through exercise and affection conditions and prepares dogs for training. Like people, dogs learn at their own pace. Practice patience and compassion when training your dog.

Sit, Stay, Come, Down

Before attempting to teach your dog a new verbal command, get his full and undivided attention. Distractions in the area can make it too tempting to pay attention to something else. Start with simple, basic commands such as sit and stay. Use positive rewards such as a small treat — and of course, praise. Tell your dog what a good boy he is and use your tone of voice to exclaim it. Express praise and reward your dog with a treat at the very moment she sits.

The following is an excerpt from Petfinder’s FurKeeps Kickoff Live Facebook Q&A.

Q: My 2 1/2-year-old Greyhound tries to eat things like napkins, Kleenex, etc. She also chews on baskets and some of the kids’ toys.

Is this still puppy behavior? How can I stop it?

A: Your Greyhound is too old to be teething, so chewing is just something she finds rewarding. Some dogs are “hard chewers” all their lives — think Pit Bulls and Labs. You don’t see it as much in Greyhounds, but that just goes to show that each dog is an individual.

ThinkstockWhat can you do about it? Remove access to what she wants to chew, or shred in the case of the paper products (a very common behavior), and provide her with plenty of appropriate dog chew toys, and maybe even put her kibble in food-dispensing toys (such as a frozen Kong toy) so she has to work for her breakfast.

You can also try taste-aversives on things like the baskets. Use bitter apple furniture cream on wood or wicker and the pump spray on fabric. There are other brands on the market as well if you find she likes the taste of rubbing alcohol and crabapple juice.