The end result of training your dog should be this: anytime he's with you, in whatever situation, with whatever distractions there might be, he should respond to you. It doesn't matter if he's hungry and in a bad mood. It doesn't matter if he's spotted a neighborhood cat. Whatever the situation, he should respond to your communication.
In order to establish the proper relationship with your dog there are a couple of quick points you need to understand. First, dogs are instinctually pack animals. In every pack, there exists a social hierarchy. At the top of this hierarchy is the pack leader or the alpha dog. Second, to effectively train your dog you need to assume the role as the alpha dog in his eyes.
So how do you do this?
You communicate in a manner that he understands. To accomplish this, you first need to be aware that your dog will pick up on three basic forms of communication. These are:
1. Your Voice ... just as your dog is sensitive to the inflection in the bark of other dogs, he's sensitive to the inflection of your voice. For instance, when you praise your dog, it's not the words he responds to ("Oh, what a good puppy.") but your tone of voice. You say the exact same words in a disapproving tone and he'll respond as if he's done something wrong.
What this means is that you'll want to be aware of how you use your voice when communicating with your dog. Use an enthusiastic, joyful tone when praising him. Use a deeper, firmer tone for an unwanted behavior that requires a "No!"
2. Body Language ... your dog is constantly reading your body language, evaluating if it's in line with the tone of your voice and the current situation. An alpha-dog communicates confidence and control. If you want to be the alpha-dog you have to display the body language of confidence and control. This is a tall, straight-backed position. Leaning forward tends to communicate aggression. Leaning back communicates surrender.
3. Touch ... there are two primary messages that are communicated by touch: a positive message or a negative message. Positive messages are delivered by lavish petting, kissing, snuggling, even playing, while praising your dog. Negative messages are delivered in the same way you might discipline an unruly child, with an angry swat or hands around the face to force his attention on you or forcibly moving him where you want him.
In the course of training your dog you will need to correct his behavior. The most effective way to accomplish a correction is to mimic the nip on the neck that a mother would use on her puppies or an alpha dog would use on subordinates. Of course, you don't actually want to nip your dog on the neck. Instead, consider using a pinch collar which can safely replicate a nip without putting pressure on your dog's trachea.
Training your dog is not only about teaching specific behaviors, such as sit, down, and come. It's about teaching him confidence and how to properly interact with his environment. With effective communication, your dog will quickly learn to respect you as the alpha dog and the process will go much faster.