Trick training can be lots of fun, but it all starts with the basics. Before a dog can be trained to do tricks, he must be well trained in the basic obedience commands. Being previously trained creates an environment for new training, and in some cases, the basic commands and tricks are related.

Before trying to train your dog to do any tricks, however, you should evaluate whether or not he's suitable for the job. "Some owners," says a dog trainer from the US, "overlook certain things in their desire that their dog be able to do tricks. Some dogs are not physically fit to do the job. They have bad backs or suffer from hip dysphasia or other medical problems."

One owner, he recalls, tried to train his St. Bernard to sit up. It just didn't happen. The dog was too big and ungainly; his high legs could not support his weight. Other owners have been known to try to have their small-sized dogs, such as Chihuahuas, Dachshunds, and Pekingese, jump over walls or through hoops that are like jumping over a building to the dog.

If your dog is well trained and in good health, there's no reason why he can't learn tricks. You may not make him a Hollywood star, but he can be a star in your home. (Then again, he may become a movie star. It happens!) Tricks are like any training: The keys to success are repetition, timely correction, and lavish praise.