Name Recognition: All dogs should know and respond enthusiastically to their name by offering focus and eye contact. …
Sit: Sit implies stay. …
Down: Down also implies stay. …
Heel: Being dragged on walks is no fun. …
Come: Coming when called is non-negotiable. …
Place: …
Leave It:
Have you ever admired a well-behaved dog and wished you could have one of your own? Do you wonder how to ensure your dog will exhibit the same level of propriety?
Knowing what commands to teach your dog from the beginning will make your life as a dog dad 100 times easier. But remember, youll need plenty of patience.
This article will discuss the seven fundamental dog commands, provide examples of how I taught them to my English bulldog Luna, and recommend a great book to read.
Learning how to give paw
Your dog is ready to learn one of the simpler, more enjoyable tricks now that she is familiar with some fundamental cues: paw!
Here’s how it’s done, according to Semel:
Put your dog in a sitting position.
Keep training sessions short
In reality, the ideal training session is very brief, lasting only two to five minutes each time (as often as you and your dog can throughout the day). Semel said, “This guarantees ending sessions on a high note to help improve performance.” Take a break and return to it later if either of you becomes fatigued. ”.
Teaching and training your dog basic commands and cues is a fun and rewarding experience for both of you. It’s important to begin training your dog at an early age to get the foundations right before your puppy grows into an adult dog. Puppy training and teaching your dog is a great way to spend time together and can also be lots of fun!
Dogs pick up new commands quickly, so teaching your dog to “come,” “sit,” “stay,” and even “go potty” will strengthen your bond and promote positive behavior. Compared to their untrained counterparts, well-trained dogs generally lead more comfortable and satisfying lives and are less likely to stray.
You can begin training your dog as soon as you bring them home because young puppies make eager students. It is untrue that puppies must be at least six months old to be trained properly; the younger the puppy, the simpler it is to train. Consider them to be little furry sponges, waiting to absorb all the knowledge you can impart to them.
Here you’ll find lots of advice on the basics of dog training. For more detailed and advanced dog training advice, try contacting a professional trainer. Visit Dog Guru or Dog Zen by Mark Vette for some options.
Keep puppy training sessions short and sweet. Young puppies lose concentration easily, so it’s better to do six five-minute sessions each day than one half-hour session.
Only have training sessions when you’re in a good mood. Dogs are very receptive to human emotions, so they’ll be able to tell if you’re stressed or grumpy.
Always finish dog and puppy training sessions on a high with an exercise you know your dog can do easily so you end with success.
In the beginning train with no distractions. Get the basics down in a quiet setting, and add distractions later, so your dog gets used to a variety of environments.
Training must always be reward-based, so use lots of toys, treats and cuddles. Negative or punishing techniques are cruel and don’t work, and never use a choke chain as you can injure your dog’s neck very easily.
Once your dog has got the hang of an exercise, swap food-based treats for toys, or subtract treats from their daily food allowance, to avoid weight gain.
The small plastic box used in clicker training fits into the palm of your hand and is available from pet stores. You can teach your dog to respond to the loud double “click” sound it makes when you press one end with your thumb. Here’s how:
Firstly, arm yourself with a handful of treats.
Hand them to your dog one by one, with a short pause between each one.
At the exact moment they take the treat, give a click.
Your dog will soon learn that a click means a treat, so they’ll work hard to earn the click. It becomes a ‘yes’ marker – a way of telling your dog that they’ve done well at that moment.
Many puppy training classes use a clicker, but the exercises below can be done with or without one.
Now that you have all the necessary resources and guidelines, you can begin training your dog!
We all want our dogs to sit when called, but how many of us have actually invested the time to train this cue to be dependable?
Teaching your dog to sit is never too late, so let’s get started.
When your dog is standing calmly, hold a treat near their nose.
Don’t give them too much time to explore the treat as you don’t want them to start jumping up. Hold the treat near your dog’s nose and move your hand slowly over the shape of their head.
As your dog follows your hand and raises their head, their bottom will hit the floor. The second that happens, praise your dog and reward them with treats.
Keep practicing this in really short bursts.
Now that your dog is used to sitting, you can add the word ‘sit’ as they’re moving into the sit position.
Now keep practising this in really short bursts. Remembering to say the word ‘sit’ as they’re moving into the position, not before or after.
When you think your dog has associated the word with the movement, you can ask your dog to sit without the lure of a treat.
If their bottom hits the floor, praise and reward them. If it doesn’t, don’t worry, they just need more practice so go back a step and given them a bit more time.
As your dog’s response gets faster and more reliable, start asking them to sit in different environments, with some distractions or a small distance away from you.
This is another simple dog command, but if you want your dog to leave the sofa or stop pawing at your legs, be careful not to confuse them by saying “down.” Instead, use “off” and give them praise when they comply with you.
Hold a treat in your hand with a little bit sticking out, so your dog can see it.
Show it to your dog, and then place your hand flat on the floor with the treat underneath it. Your dog will try every which way to get at it!
Eventually, they’ll lie down. The moment they do, give a click and give them the treat – and lots of praise!
Keep at it, and as soon as they’ve learned that your hand on the floor means ‘lie down’, add the verbal cue ‘down’ when they do the action.
With practice, they’ll lie down on request, without the treat.
One of the most crucial lessons your dog will ever learn is the “recall,” or teaching them to respond when called. Starting early (between six and eight weeks) is essential because young puppies enjoy following their owners around. Your dog will be more independent and harder to train the recall at six months old.
Ask a friend to help you with this exercise.
Get your friend to kneel on the floor, keeping the puppy close in a sitting position.
Sit right in front of your pet and call him to you by enthusiastically saying their name and the word ‘come’. They won’t have to go very far to reach you.
Greet them excitedly with open arms. Sometimes it’s helpful to have a treat or a favourite toy in your hands if they’re reluctant at first.
Now try it again but this time, sit a few paces away. Call him enthusiastically and they’ll race over to you. As soon as they do, give a click, a treat and lots and lots of praise.
Practice little and often, gradually increasing the distance between you and your puppy. Remember to shower them with praise when they come to you.
Once they’re able to come on command, start calling them when they can’t see you. Play hide and seek games in the house, so they have to track you down.
Then, move outside into the garden, and introduce controlled distractions, such as a friend walking past. If you don’t have a garden, borrow a friend’s – don’t try this phase in a public space.
Once your pup is reliable in an enclosed garden with distractions, it’s time to take the training to the park! Use an extendable lead or a long training line to give them a sense of freedom while you remain in control.
Practise a few recalls. You’ll have to work extra hard to make yourself look enticing, since there will be lots of exciting distractions for them.
If they shoot off in the opposite direction and ignore your calls, don’t chase them – they’ll think it’s a great game! Instead, run away in the opposite direction. Your puppy will be confused and end up chasing you. This will teach them to keep a close eye on you when you’re out and about, in case they accidentally lose you.
Praise, treats and rewards are very important in dog and puppy training, so don’t shout or tell them off if they don’t come, or when they finally arrive, because this will just confuse them. You want your puppy to associate coming to you with being loved and praised, so be patient and practice often.
Since puppies detest remaining still, teaching your dog to “stay” is likely one of the trickiest commands to learn. However, with frequent, brief practice sessions, this helpful exercise can be mastered.
Start with the down-stay. Ask your dog to go down.
Say ‘stay’ in a steady tone of voice, and put your hand out in front of you with your palm facing forwards.
Wait a few seconds and then click and reward your dog for staying put. Practice this several times.
Next, ask them to go down, take a step back, and say ‘stay’.
After about three seconds, click, step forwards and reward them. Give them lots and lots of praise.
Gradually increase the length and the distance of the stay. But dont do too much too soon!
If your dog breaks the ‘stay, dont shout at them. They’ll learn soon enough when the click, treat and praise isn’t forthcoming!
Once your dog has mastered the down-stay, teach your dog to stay in the sit position, and finally in a stand position, using exactly the same technique.
Since your dog wants your approval, dog training works by rewarding desired behavior and ignoring undesirable responses. But occasionally, you’ll need to tell your dog that their actions aren’t what you want. Teach your dog a “no” signal so that whenever they hear it, they are instructed to stop what they are doing rather than shouting or saying “no” all the time.
Dog-training discs can be used to teach and train your dog the “no” signal (unless your dog is overly anxious or easily startled by sudden noises). These are five metal discs that resemble miniature cymbals and are attached to a keychain. You can hold them silently, but when it’s time to say “no,” you can drop them to make an unusual noise that your dog is unlikely to hear anywhere else.
To teach ‘no!’ first get some treats. In the same way that you would teach the dog to associate the click with a treat, you now need to teach them that the sound of the discs means they won’t be allowed a treat.
Place a treat on the floor. When your dog goes to eat it, rattle the discs in your hand. Remove the treat as you rattle the discs but say nothing – let the sound do the work.
Over a few repetitions, your dog should stop being startled by the sound and will begin to associate the sound with not getting a reward. Eventually, they wont even attempt to take the treat, anticipating the sound, and give up, looking disappointed.
Now get them to perform another action, such as a sit, and give them a treat. This will make up for their previous disappointment and frustration!
Soon your dog will associate their actions where the discs are involved as a ‘fail’, and will stop trying without you having to use the discs, and instead just the word ‘no’.
The discs can also be used to teach the command to “leave it.”
Put something tasty on a table, within your dogs reach. Tell them to ‘leave it’, count to three, and then give him a treat (but not the one that he has been told to leave).
If he goes to take the treat, sound the discs.
Over several practice sessions, increase the time he has to wait before he is given a treat.
If you find your dog on the sofa or a bed, say ‘off’ and encourage them to come to you.
When they come ‘off, reward them calmly with praise and a click, and use your basic training to ask him to sit or lie down instead. This can then also be rewarded.
Consistency is important. If one member of the family turns a blind eye to the house rules, youve had it!
If they growl at you for attempting to remove them, back off, and seek the help of a qualified behaviourist via your vet’s referral as soon as possible. Don’t attempt to tackle any aggression problems yourself, as you may make things worse.
If you are worried about your pet’s health, always call your veterinarian. They can offer personalized guidance or treatment suggestions. We recommend that you speak with an experienced pet behaviorist for detailed behavioral guidance designed especially for your pet.
FAQ
What are the 7 basic commands for dog training?
In order to become a good canine citizen, a well-behaved puppy should specifically obey the commands Sit, Down, Stay, Come, Heel, Off, and No.
What order of commands should I teach my dog?
Ray believes that each dog should be taught the following fundamental cues: heel, sit, stay, and come. Heel – While holding the leash in your left hand and the dog at knee height on your left side, give the dog’s name as you begin walking with your left foot in front of the other.
How long does it take to train a dog basic commands?
Using this schedule as a guide, you should be able to teach your dog the fundamentals in about six weeks. There are numerous ways to train a dog, but the majority of dog trainers concur that the positive method is the most effective for both the dog and the trainer.
