OBEDIENCE COMMANDS

OBEDIENCE COMMANDS
The five basic obedience commands every dog should know are sit, stay, down, come and heel. Follow these simple, step-by-step instructions, and keep in mind that it won’t be as easy as flipping a switch. Every dog is different and there are lots of training methods to try. Below are some basic guidelines that have helped many people but if your dog needs something a little different, seek the assistance of a qualified dog behavior professional. Most dogs are easily trained, once you know how.

Sit
You can start working on the ‘sit’ command with puppies as young as seven weeks of age.

• Start by getting your dog’s attention, then using his name and the command. "Max, sit."
• Gently help your dog to the sitting position. Be kind about it – he’s learning, not being bad.
• Praise your dog or give a treat, like a kibble of food, when he sits, even if you had to help him at first. You want to teach him that sitting is always a good thing.
• Repeat the exercise often. One or two five-minute training sessions each day can work wonders.
• Once learned, have your dog sit for everything he wants from a treat to a door opening. This will make you a good leader while also getting in plenty of real-life practice.

Stay
You've taught your puppy to sit but he doesn’t do it for very long. In fact, most of the time it is just long enough to earn a kibble. Now you need to train your dog to stay in one place.

• Once you've got your puppy sitting, put your hand in front of his face and give the command. "Max, stay."
• Slowly turn and step in front of him.
• If your puppy gets up, reposition him into the sit.
• After a few seconds, praise him calmly, then say, “Okay”. Let him get up.
• Repeat until your pup stays put consistently.
• Now, try stepping back a step or two. If your puppy follows you, begin again, gradually increasing the distance.
• Repeat until you can move several feet with your puppy staying in the sit position.
• Remember to praise, but do it calmly. Too much enthusiasm excites him and makes itdifficult to stay.

Down
Once you've taught your dog to ‘sit,’ ‘down’ follows naturally. This command can come in very handy when your dog is headed where he shouldn’t go.

• Start with your dog in the sit position.
• Hold a treat or piece of food in front of your dog's nose.
• Move the food down to the ground, just in front of his front paws then pull the kibble slowly out along the ground, as if you are drawing an ‘L’ with the kibble. With food in your hand, your dog is sure to follow.
• As your dog lies down, say “down” and praise him.
• Repeat often.

Come
‘Come’ is essential for every dog. It is one of the key ways to keep your dog under control, safe and out of trouble.

• Put your dog’s leash on.
• Walk a few steps away with a treat or toy. You my need to put your dog in a ‘sit’ and ‘stay’ to get away.
• Turn and give the ‘come’ command, and praise! Use the lead to bring your dog to you if necessary.
• Reward and praise your dog when he gets to you.
• Start extending the distance and remove the leash when your dog seems to have it.
• Don't scold or use a threatening tone -- he may think you're angry. If you’re upset, coming to you will be the last thing he wants to do. Only give the command once. Dogs learn exactly what we teach them. So if you say “Come-come-come-come” then your dog will think the command is “Come-come-come-come.”

Heel
You see it all too often - a dog leading its owner. Don't let it be you. Teach your dog to walk at your side using the ‘heel’ command.

• If you can, burn off excess energy by playing with your dog before your walk.
• Begin by saying your dog's name and ‘heel’ and reeling him in so his right shoulder is in line with your left hip.
• Give him slack gradually. When he pulls forward, give the command and take sharp right. When your dog finds himself behind you, he'll run to catch up.
• Praise him warmly when he catches up.
• Guard against boredom by keeping your dog busy. Talk to him, have him sit, stay, lie down.
• If he forges ahead, stop and make him sit. Resume the walk and repeat the sit as needed.
• You may also work with him in small clockwise circles. This encourages him to pay attention.
• Many people need to take a training class or two to really get ‘heel’ down. A fun, well-run class is a great way to socialize and train your companion.