Teaching your dog commands might seem like an impossible task. Whether you’ve never known your pup to sit still or listen or if you really don’t know where to begin, here are some great starting points and basic commands all dogs can learn with some practice.
Sit
Getting your dog to sit still is an important first step in teaching obedience and any other commands you’d like them to learn. Luckily, it’s also one of the easiest to teach a dog. If your pet is a puppy it will be even easier. If they have never heard of the command before they may need some assistance with how to posture their body to respond to that command. Once they get the hang of sitting when you ask them to, be sure to reward them with positive reinforcement or a treat so they will continue to have good behavior.
Come
Another basic, but important command for a dog to learn is the notion to come to you when they are called. This can be especially important when outdoors, in a public setting or even around the home. Come teach the dog that you are asking for them to walk over to you and come see what you have to say or ask of them. Again, once they learn to come on over to you, be sure to reinforce the good behavior with a reward. Over time they will naturally begin to do this as soon as they hear the word.
Down
This last command is the trickier to the three and should be practiced regularly to help your dog understand what to do when it’s asked of him. It’s also a great option when you’re looking for a way to take your dog’s excitement down a notch or would like to hunker in place as guests arrive. Large dogs can especially benefit from learning this command.
In need of some perimeter training to help your pet get used to your new dog fence? With DogWatch of Western MA’s training, your dog will learn boundaries through voice commands and visual flags. We teach all types of dogs and understand their unique personalities.