Dog Training, 6 Commands Every Dog Should Know

1. Dog Training, 6 Commands Every Dog Should Know There are many training techniques and philosophies that claim to be the fastest, easiest or most affective way to train your dog. The one thing that every dog training technique seem to mirror is that positive reinforcement and reward is the most effective.

2. The first command you should teach is SIT. With a few slight differences, most advice about dog training agree. The easiest way to teach this command is to cause the desired outcome to occur without much effort. For very young puppies, hold their food bowl above and behind their head. Your puppy looks up, loses his balance, and sits.

3. The second command that you must train your dog is NO. This command demands consistency from you, as the trainer, and every member of the household. The NO command need to always be spoken in a sharp guttural tone and alone. Do not use with your dogs name, or in a panicked or high pitched tone that only comes naturally if you were to walk in and see your dog chewing your favorite pair of shoes.

4. STAY is another command that every dog should know. Building on SIT, stand beside your dog with the leash taunt, held straight above his head. Incorporate hand signals and place your open palm in front of dog's nose. Say STAY and move in front of your dog to block his forward movement. If he moves, repeat hand signal and STAY command. If he stays, move back next to him, make him hold his STAY for a few seconds, praise and treat.

5. DOWN command can be taught just after SIT is mastered. It is important to use only the word DOWN. Your dog does not understand variations such as Lay Down. You must be consistent in training your dog that DOWN only refers to laying down. If you want to teach your dog to get down off of your chair, train OFF as your command.

6. Teaching your dog to HEEL makes walks in your neighborhood a pleasant experience. I am sure you have seen or experienced the owner that gets walked by their dog. The owner is fearful of each approaching human or animal because they have not been trained to HEEL. Your goal is that your dog will stay close to you on a walk.

7. The last fundamental command that is a must while beginning to train your dog is the command COME. This command seems so easy, after all all dogs want to come to you, right? The problem with training your dog to COME is that owners do not use it often enough in daily interactions. Your dog will COME when you open the refrigerator door. The command needs to be reinforced by putting your dog in SIT and STAY, then by changing your location, command COME, and use your dog's name.