BASIC OBEDIENCE ORDERS FOR DOGS

BASIC OBEDIENCE ORDERS FOR DOGS

Training a dog is more than just teaching him a few tricks to have fun, training stimulates the dog's mind and makes it easier for him to coexist and behave in public.

It is important to have patience and to start working on this project as soon as possible, because your complicity will promote and improve the dog's quality of life and yours. However, doubts may arise and perhaps you don't know where to start, and your dog's education covers a wide range for those who have simply decided to adopt a dog for the first time. If this is your case, Dog Info recommends that you start by taking your new partner to the vet, to de-worm and vaccinate him following the vet's instructions. At the same time, you can start to teach him to be clean and start with the basic orders of your dog's education. Don't know them? Read and learn about them!

The basic obedience orders for dogs

1. Sit!

The first thing to teach a dog is to sit. This is the easiest order to teach and it is natural, so it won't cost him much to learn. If you can get him to sit and he understands that this is the position to wait for his food, before going outside or just when you expect something from him, you will be more comfortable with the next steps. To do this, proceed as follows:

• Take a kibble or a reward for your dog. Let him smell it, then put it in your closed fist.
• Stand in front of your dog as he gives you his attention and waits for his reward.
• Say, "Sit, or sit down." Use whatever word you like.
• With the dog's attention fixed on your fist, begin to follow an imaginary line to the back of the dog, passing over his head.

At first the dog won't understand, he may try to move or turn around your hand, but keep trying until he sits down. Then give him his reward while saying "Good dog, very good" or any other positive expression.

You can use any word you want to teach order, but keep in mind that dogs tend to remember simple words more easily. Once you have chosen a word, you should always use the same one. If one day you say "sit", another "sit down" your dog won't understand and therefore won't obey you.

2. Down!

Just after sitting, teaching him to lie down is another basic order for dogs, easier to get. Also, it is a logical process, because you can say "Don't move" then "Sit", then "Down". The dog will associate all this quickly and will do it almost automatically in the future.

• Stand in front of your dog and say Sit. Once you are seated, say Lie down and point your finger at the floor. If he doesn't react, hide a reward in your hand and lower it with the reward down (without letting go), the dog will automatically be attracted and will lie down.
• Once lying down, give him his reward and say "Good dog" and scratch or pet him to reinforce this attitude.

If you use the trick of hiding the reward in your hand, you should remove it gradually to teach him to lie down, even without a reward.

3. Stay!

Your dog has to learn to stay still in one place, because when visitors come, he goes out for a walk on the street or you just want him to stay away from something or someone this is the best way to get him. And how do you keep him quiet? By following these steps:

• When your dog is sitting, stand next to him on his left or right, choose one of the two directions. Put his leash on and say "Stay!" with the palm of your open hand next to him. Wait a few seconds and if he obeys, come back and say "That's good!" or something like that and reward him with petting.
• Repeat the above process until he manages to stay still for more than 10 seconds. Remember to always reward him first, and then you can alternate between a reward and a simple Good Dog.
• When you succeed in keeping him still, give the command and walk away. If he follows you, come back to him again and give the command. Move a few meters away, then call him and give him a reward.
• Increase the distance until your dog is almost 10-15 meters away, or have someone else call him. Always remember to call at the end and say, "Come here!" or something that tells him to move.

4. Stand!

For this command, which also involves a natural posture, it is best to ask your dog to sit or lie down first. If your dog is in this posture, you can use it as an opportunity to say "Stay" - that's the whole point of teaching him to stand: a dog who knows how to stay in his place will help you in many situations, such as during care or bathing - and then you can attract him to you with a treat.

Repeat the exercise every day, and when he understands the principle, add the word "Stand" and make sure he stays there. If necessary, you can help him to keep this position by placing your other hand under his belly, close to his rear end, while pronouncing the command "Stand up".

As the training progresses, the treat will become less and less indispensable. It will be replaced by a gestural command.

Once your dog has assimilated the exercise well, you can do it again in the garden, then in a little busy street, in a more crowded park.

Just like "Sitting" and "Lying down", you can teach him this order by saying "Stand up" each time he gets into this posture. Give him a treat at the same time, and with observation and repetition, your dog will soon understand what you want from him. You can be sure that he'll be genuinely happy to adopt this position, simply to please you and receive the coveted treat.

5. Come!

You don't want your dog to escape, don't listen to you and don't answer your call. Therefore, calling is the fourth basic order when training a dog, because if he doesn't come to you, you won't be able to ask him to sit, lie down or stay.

• Put a reward under your feet and say "Come here", "Here" or "Come" to your dog without him realizing that you have that reward. At first he won't understand, but when he sees this piece of food he will come quickly. On arrival tell him Good Dog! and then sit down.
• Go somewhere else and repeat the same action, this time without a reward. If he doesn't come, put the reward back under your foot until your dog associates the Come here! with the call.
• Increase the distance more and more until the dog listens to you when you are several meters away. If you link the reward to waiting, he won't hesitate to run towards you when you call him.

Remember to reward him whenever he responds to a basic command, positive reinforcement is the best way to train a dog and any other animal.