Smart dogs are happy, suitable for everyday life and welcome companions. But how does my dog become smarter and more balanced, and what can I do as an owner to help? Dog expert Kate Kitchenham explains how dogs learn and how to train your dog's important skills. These include openness and composure, trust, reliability, social compatibility, independent thinking and accepting boundaries. All the skills exercises are explained for which dogs they are suitable and what positive consequences they have for living together in everyday life. All step-by-step trainings can be easily integrated into everyday life. They improve the dog's empathy, concentration, impulse control and self-confidence and strengthen the bond in the human-dog team.