Wear a hat when you put down their food bowl, leave an open umbrella on the floor for them to investigate, and take short rides in the car to places other than the veterinarian's office so they realize these everyday parts of life are non-threatening. Run the vacuum cleaner in another room and play a tape of a thunderstorm so they learn that loud noises aren't necessarily something to be afraid of.

Before chosing a training class, check with friends for their recommendations. Call the trainer and arrange to observe their classes. If you don't like what you see, continue your search. I've found that Skyes don't respond well to the 'typical' training method of 'pop and jerk'. Ideally, you'll find a trainer who uses only positive reinforcement (AKA 'clicker') training. This is different from typical training methods in that it focuses on rewarding the dog for doing the right things instead of punishing them for doing the wrong things.

Formal training classes can and should begin with puppy kindergarten. In addition to learning how to learn, a good trainer will introduce your pup to mild physical challenges. More importantly, your pup will begin to learn how to interact with other dogs. They may also learn things that aren't typical of terriers. My Skyes are retrieving fools (not knowing they aren't sporting dogs) because bringing things back to me was part of their puppy kindergarten curriculum.

Older Skyes also benefit from positive reinforcement training. The picture at right shows Morgan on the day she achieved her Canine Good Citizen certificate...at 10 years of age...after she attended one basic clicker training class. (She looks so happy because the test was held in the rain, and she hates to get her feet wet.)

Once they learn what the clicker means, you'll have a powerful tool to shape their behavior for the rest of their life. This includes fun things too. For example, one of my Skyes has learned to sneeze when he hears the word 'Gesundheit'.

Training your Skye is a life-long endeavor. Remember, the Skye is generally a smart dog. If you don't train them, they'll train you

With thanks to our clicker trainer Ali Brown