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Basic Dog Commands
The Simple "Basic Dog Commands" Use Short Word
Associations.
... do you
know what they are?
The basic dog commands use short words which sound different
from one another, such as "come", "sit", "stay", "down", and "heel".
These words help you train your puppy without confusion. Keep it
simple.
The basis for all dog training is emphasizing their good behaviors with
praise and reward. Positive acknowledgment on a dog for being good is
one of the most effective ways of teaching. Your patience, persistence
and consistency are the most important concepts in any kind of puppy
training. Remember to use lots of praise and rewards... and simple
words to teach the basic dog commands. Watch this free dog training
video of a professional trainer using basic
dog commands and learn what is expected of you before you
begin training your puppy.
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TIPS for Teaching Basic Commands:
- Use helpful aids of a *nylon collar and 6 foot nylon leash.
- Each training session should last only 10 - 15 minutes long.
- Begin inside the home on leash.
- Practice one command at a time.
- Never confuse puppy by teaching all commands during the same session.
- Each session should focus on the command at hand.
- Release your dog from a comand enthusiastically by saying: "OK!!" or "Good dog!!"
*Note: If your puppy or dog appears to be afraid of their collar or is fighting the leash, you can read more on collar and leash training for easy help introducing those dog training aids.
TRAINING YOUR PUPPY THE BASIC DOG COMMANDS: |
QUICK INTRO Before Beginning Basic Command Training:
Where to begin training your commands? Start your command training
inside the house where there are fewest distractions. Use a nylon
collar and 6 foot nylon leash for best control. Your puppy should be
focussed on you, not wandering away! Work on one dog command per
session. Only after you complete the commands with confidence, do your
training outside where you have many more distractions. ALWAYS keep
your puppy on leash.
"COME"
When using the "come" command, your dog's name
should always precede the command "come". (ex:Dogname,
Come!) This will help get your dog's attention and let your dog know
that you are speaking directly to him and not to someone else. When
training your puppy or dog, keep in mind that no two dogs or puppies
are alike so you will have to adjust your training methods according to
the individual. Never call your dog's name in a threatening tone of
voice. You do not want your puppy to associate its name with being
scolded. When puppy completes the task, say "Dogname, Good
Come!" and reward with lots of praise and a treat.
Encourage
your puppy to "come" using lots of
enthusiastic praise and encouragement!
With leash and collar on your dog, if your puppy begins to ignore you and acts as if he does not hear you, the attached long leash can be used to reel puppy into you after giving only one command... "Dogname, come". This prevents you having to repeat the command and your dog will learn to come when called. With practice and repetition, your puppy will soon learn quickly how to get that praise and treat!
"SIT"
The sit command is a very useful dog command and gives leadership over
your dog. With leash and collar on your dog, say the command, "Dogname,
Sit!", while pushing your dog's rump down, pull the leash up or hold
the dog's head up. If he tries to stand during this command, quickly
say "NO" and push the rump back down. Keep your puppy in the sit
position. Once sit is completed, gently pet, saying "Good Sit" and
release puppy from the sit position by saying "OK!". Teaching your dog
to stop sitting is as important as teaching when to release from the
position. Repeat this command and eventually practice longer sits. When
releasing, excitingly say "OK!" and praise. The sit command will be
used often throughout your dog's life. Sit, before crossing a road, sit
when company comes over, sit while putting down their food and sit
while putting on the leash. Its endless how often you will find
yourself using this command with your companion. Use the same
instructions to teach an older dog.
"DOWN"
For the down command, guide or coax your dog into the down position by
saying "Dogname, Down!" taking the leash and
gently pulling your dog's head down while at the same time pressing
down between puppy's shoulder blades with the palms of your hand. If
not responding, you can take a hold of the front legs and extend them
out in front. After practicing this a few times, try putting puppy in a
"down" position by raising your right arm with palm facing flat toward
dog, say the command, "Down!", and coax if you may, either extending
the front legs, or pressing between puppy's shoulder blades.
With repetition, eventually, you want to down your puppy hands free
using just your "Down!" command and raising your right arm
simultaneously. Always release your puppy from this command by saying
"OK! Good Down" and praising.
"STAY"
For the stay dog command start your dog in the "sit" position. Raising
your right hand with palm facing flat toward dog, say the command,
"Stay!", and then step right in front of him or her. Stay there
standing in front of your dog. If puppy moves any time after you say
this, tell him firmly, "NO!", and return him to a sitting position.
When your dog stays after half a minute praise him vocally, only.
Petting and excitement may cause puppy to move. Continue to do these
steps until puppy learns to stay.
Once your dog is able to stay, gradually work out to a further distance
until you reach the end of your 6 ft. leash. Remain standing in front
of your dog until each command is over, always releasing with a joyous
"OK!" and then praise and treat. Eventually begin working longer stays.
Try walking around as your puppy remains in a stay position. Always
remember each training session should only last 10-15 minutes and end
on a good note.
"SIT STAY" and "DOWN STAY"
After completing the first three command words successfully, work up
the dog commands "SIT" and "DOWN" into a "Down, Stay" and "SIT STAY".
In time your dog should remain in the "Down, Stay" position for 5
minutes or longer. You can do this exercise while watching tv, working
in the kitchen or outside during your walks on leash. Practice, Praise,
and Repeat. These commands are handy to teach your puppy and give you
considerable control over your little buddy.
"HEEL"
The heel dog command teaches your dog to walk beside you. We recommend
you play with your puppy in your backyard first to allow him to burn
off excess energy before taking him out for any "controlled" walks
before teaching puppy the "Heel" command.
Correct position of the leash:Begin your walks on
leash with puppy correctly holding the "loop of the leash in your right
hand" and the "slack of the leash in your left hand". Now lead,
simultaneously with your left leg, and saying "Dogname,
heel" using name first for puppy's attention. Give a firm quick little
tug on the leash. Be very enthusiastic while giving the command.
While in the heel position as you both are walking, keep puppy's
attention on you by enthusiastically talking to puppy, praising,
talking, encouraging, and more praising when puppy is in the correct
heel position.
The correct puppy position to begin heeling is:
Puppy on your left with puppy's right shoulder in line with your left
hip. After completing the task, say "Dogname, Good
Heel", and reward with a treat and lots of praise. If your puppy
insists on pulling ahead, work in some small counter-clockwise circles.
This will encourage puppy to pay attention to you as you are walking.
Getting your puppy to walk with you on a leash can be frustrating for
some, but stay in control, work with counter-clockwise movements to
keep their attention. Practice a few sits, sit stays, and down stays
during your walks. When puppy begins to pull, you can work in the
counter-clockwise movement to change the direction. This helps keep the
attention on you. Keep it interesting and fun! Remember... Praise,
Treat, and Repeat!
Always end your dog command training sessions with play time.
Throw a ball, run in the yard. Toss a toy. Do whatever you like to do
when playing and relaxing with your puppy. Remember to keep all
training sessions to a time limit of 10 to 15 minutes. Puppies have
short attention spans and tire easily. Keep that in mind and you will
not get frustrated.
As always, we recommend enrolling in a puppy class. These commands are
just a short intro. Take it to the next step and enroll in obedience
classes. Our commands are meerly here to help you understand and get a
feel before enrolling in your classes. Classes teach you how to teach
your dog in depth as well as socialize your dog with other dogs and
puppies. You will find it a lot of fun and so rewarding!
Jump Start Your Basic Dog Obedience Training:
Here's a tip for you... Want to know a quick way to
jump start training your puppy or dog before starting any dog training
classes? Purchase yourself any dog training e-book written by
real dog training professionals. Look for one with some
videos, as well as written instruction, so you can always refer back to
the information. This way, when you enter your puppy classes or basic
dog training level one, you will be way ahead of the others in your
group and verbal instructions with your local trainer won't make you
feel so awkward. Both you and your puppy (or dog) will benefit so much
more and so much faster. To save you search time, here are the best
online dog trainers:
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Enjoy your training! We know you both will benefit so much!
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