Essential Commands That Are Important For Every Dog To Know

Dogs are great…they are even greater when they know these basic commands. They will be greater because they will be more polite, happier, and safer.

Many (most) dogs, especially the puppies, don’t come well trained, but they come ready to please you and learn. Training Fido isn’t difficult, but it takes time and plenty of patience and positive feedback.

While your pup is new to the idea of training, you need to also be consistent with him/her, and plan to spend at least 3 times a day for 15 minutes each, working on the the finer graces of doggihood…much longer actually slows down the dog’s progression, and much less she may forget what she’s trying to learn.

Basic commands are important…

One of the keys to easier training is being generous with treats. You will use a lot to begin with, but you can taper off when training becomes more second nature to your pup.But never taper off on the praise.

The first thing you need your dog to know and respond to is her name, this is a relatively easy thing, but very important to teach her. Begin by saying her name happily…then when she starts looking at you when you say it, give her a treat. It won’t take long for her to get the hang of it.

Once you get the name mastered, it’s time to begin. Find a nice quiet place to do your training…you definitely don’t want to be practicing in an area where your pup will be destracted, you want all of her focus on you.

1. Drop It – This is an important command, because you never know when your pup is going to pick up that thing you don’t want her to have. This command will help her from ingesting something that is harmful to her, or ruining something that is important to you. When she has a toy in her mouth, and as you say “drop it”, show her the treat. Once she understands what you want, move a little ways off and try it again.
2. Look at Me – You want to have your dog’s attention, so hold a treat for her to see, it’s best just above your head, and say “look at me”. After you have kept her attention for a few seconds, lower the treat to your eye level, and when she drops the toy in lieu of the treat, praise her and give her the treat.
3. Sit – This is to help with her impulses and is an important command for many things, but it’s very important for safety, as it will keep her from darting out in the street or at another dog. Begin by holding a treat to her nose, then move it up and over her head, saying “sit” as you do this. As her head follows, watching the treat, she will follow it with hers nose, which will cause her to automatically sit. Success! Immediately give her praise and a treat. Practice this in different situations, and give different forms of praise.
4. Down – Another basic command that can help your dog stay out of trouble, help her to calm down if she’s a little rowdy and control her behavior. Begin by having your dog “sit”. As you hold a treat close enough to her nose to smell it but not snatch it, begin moving the treat to the floor while saying “down”. Once she is laying down, give lots of praise and a treat.
5. Leave It – This is definitely a command of safety and can keep your pup from picking up things that are dangerous for her, such as chicken bones, chocolate, or poisonous plants. Start by setting a treat on the floor, covering it with your hand, while holding another treat in your hand. Once your pup starts to sniff the treat on the floor say “leave it” while showing her the treat in your hand. When she begins to lose interest for the one on the floor and begins checking out the one in your hand, give her the treat in your hand and your praise. Once she becomes consistent in going for the one in your hand, you could then begin to drop the treat from your hand on the floor and go through the same process without covering the treat on the floor.
6. Stay – This is kind of a difficult command for your pooch to understand, because we have previously taught her to come, so it can be confusing. Begin by having your dog sit closely in front of you. While she is sitting, hold your hand up, palm side toward her and say “stay”. With a pleasant tone in your voice, repeat the word stay a few times. Move back a couple of step from her and say it a few more times. Once she is able to stay in place without moving, give her a command to release the stay, such as okay, give her a treat and lots of love.
7. Come – Probably one of the most important commands to teach your pup is “come”, insuring you that your pup will come when you call. One good way to teach your pup to come, is to sit on the ground just a little ways from her, hold out your hand for her to smell while saying come. When she comes over to smell your hand, give her a treat and lots of praise. This command should never be used in anger…I probably wouldn’t come to you if you were angry and said come to me!

At BowWow Fun Towne, dogs are our business, and our friends, and we understand how important your dog is to you.

We are experts in dog day care – We have a Puppy Preschool that would be great to enroll your pup in! Our facility features a full size swimming pool for fun and exercise.