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Teaching Your Dog Basic Commands

When you first bring your dog home you probably have a great deal of things in mind that you intend to do with them. You have pictures in your head of warm Saturdays spent taking walks along the beach and Sunday afternoons spent playing fetch in your backyard. You dream of a dog who will come to greet you when you get home from work each day and who will sit at your feet in front of the fireplace as you relax with a beer or a glass of wine and the newspaper in the evening.

What you probably didn’t imagine is having chase your dog halfway around the neighborhood when he gets outside in the mornings or coming home to find your favorite shoes in pieces. You also probably didn’t imagine said walk on the beach ending in frustration because your dog spends the entire time  you are outside fighting to be free of his collar, eventually succeeding and leading you on a merry chase until the neighborhood dog catcher apprehends him and you find yourself having to talk quickly to avoid a fine for letting your dog run unleashed in the neighborhood without a collar (like you had so much say in that!) This is going to be your reality, however, if you do not teach your dog basic obedience.

There are a few commands that your dog is going to need to be able to follow in order to ensure that both of you remain safe and happy, and a number of tried and true tricks for outwitting your disobedient pet and teaching them to bend to your wishes.

1. Come. Your dog is going to need to learn to come when you call or the two of you are going to spend the rest of eternity chasing after each other. To teach your pet to come place a dog treat in your hand and walk away from him. Then hold the treat out and say, “Come”. Allow your dog to eat the treat as soon as they come to you, and pet and praise them lavishly. Repeat this process several times, and when you feel your dog is starting to catch on tell them to come without showing them the treat. As soon as they obey let them have the hidden treat. Following these steps over and over again will eventually drill the process into your dog’s mind and you will be able to rest assured that those morning races around the neighborhood are over.

2. Heel. This is especially important when you are walking through a crowded area, as it will eliminate the need for a leash and provide you with a little extra security that your dog is not going to run off on you. The location you use to begin to train your dog to heel is entirely up to you. There are some who claim that it is best to begin teaching your dog to follow commands when they are surrounded by distractions, while others encourage working in a quiet setting to get your dog used to the unfamiliar commands. Begin by putting your pet on a four to six foot leash and walking away, saying “Heel”.

Ideally you want your dog to stay within two feet of you at all times. If they begin to fall behind encourage them to catch up, and if the wander away turn at a ninety degree angle and say “Heel”. The dog will run out of leash and bound to catch up with you. Praise them when they are where they are supposed to be, and be consistent. Remember, your dog can heel, but it is up to you to decide if they will.

3. Sit. Teaching a dog to sit is very simple, but is going to require a great deal of patience on your part. Encourage the dog to come stand beside you, then firmly place your hand on their bottom and push down, saying “Sit”. When they sit, give them a treat and plenty of love. Repeat this process until they are able to sit without your hand to guide them.

When you are training your dog, allow them to be the judge of when a training session has gone on long enough. When your pet begins to become restless or aggressive when faced with your commands it is time to bring the session to a close. It is always better to end on a good note so that both you and your dog will look forward to repeating the experience tomorrow.

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