Basic Commands That Every Dog Should Know

After bringing home your new puppy or rescuing a new friend, you will want to teach them some basic dog commands. Dogs can learn hundreds of commands and everyone wants to have the perfect dog. However, it is better to start with the basics. Teaching your dog even the basics, isn’t only beneficial for you, but it can help your dog be more comfortable around the house and other people.

Positive Reinforcement

Using positive reinforcement can go a long way. This is when you reward only their good behavior. Never mix your reinforcement rewards with bad dog behavior. The reward for positive reinforcement can vary on what it can be. The most common methods are treats and giving them time with their favorite toy.

Common Dog Reinforcement Rewards

• Treats
• Praise
• Chew Toys
• Games
• Play Time

Using positive reinforcement is debated to be the most successful way in training your dog. As long as it is done correctly. A few rules of positive reinforcement are to do it consistently and immediately after the desired behavior. Dog attention spans can be quite short, the quicker you can correct the better.

Basic Dog Commands

Here are the best dog commands that are easy to teach to any breed of dog.

Sit

This is the basic building blocks of all dog tricks, the simple sit. Having your dog learn this trick can help build into other tricks.

Lay Down

Once your dog has sit mastered, try to have them lay down to the ground.  This shows that they are a non-threat when they are out in public with other people or dogs.

Stay

Building off the sit and lay down commands, stay is a next great command for your dog. This will show control and loyalty.  Start with a few seconds, to minutes, and some have even learned to stay up to a half hour.

Come

Once your dog has the patience to stay, it’s now time to have them come on command. This command can be a great way to rescue them when they get off their leash or escape from the backyard.

Quiet

Your dog will bark, it’s nature. But there are certain times and situations where you need your dog to be quiet. Having commands to correct this will save you some headaches.

Leave It

Dogs are curious animals and will want to taste anything and everything. Before they walk away with your personal belonging, teaching them to leave things alone is a great command to teach.

Heel

Exercise is a must for any dog. It helps maintain weight, make them stronger, and they enjoy getting outdoors. Teaching heel is almost a must for any owner that wants to take their dog on or off a leash.

Dog Training Tips

Dog training can be an overwhelming experience for you and your dog. It takes time and patience to get it right but it is well worth the battle. Being aware of how to train your dog will help make this process easier and more enjoyable. Here are a few dog training tips that can help you along the way.

• Have Patience – Patience is going to be the key. This is a new concept for them and it’s going to take time to learn it.
• Start Small – Don’t try to do too much too fast. Start with a couple of commands then build up from there.
• Watch How Your Dog Reacts – Be aware how your dog is reacting to your commands and adjust if needed. If they are reluctant to the command, try to simplify. If they are learning, remember to reward them.
• Positive Reinforcement – Like discussed before, positive reinforcement can go a long way with training your dog.
• Have Consistency – Consistency is the key when training your dog. Make sure the commands are always the same and the rewards are equally the same.
• They Won’t Remember Everything – Your dog won’t remember everything on the first session. Keep doing it consistently with positive reinforcement and they’ll get it in no time.

Dog Training Mistakes

While practicing tips and basic commands, it’s important to know some of the dog training mistakes people do.

• Inconsistency – Training once a month or every once and awhile isn’t going to get the results for you and your dog. Like any habit, it needs a lot of practice.
• Impatience – If you or your dog are losing their patience, it might be time to take a break or end the session. Having frustration will only prolong the progress.
• Yelling and Nagging – Yelling or aggressively telling your dog the commands won’t change the effect of it. This only make the environment unpleasant and put stress on your pet.
• Long Sessions – Everyone and every dog’s attention span can only go so long. Having a shorter session more often will give you better results.
• Distracting Environment – Make sure where you are training is free of distractions. Training at places with a lot of movement, people, and other dogs will make it hard for them to focus. Doing it somewhere private will be better for the both of you.

Dog Training Classes

If you are still having issues with your dog training, it might be time for the professional. There are many places that offer private or community training class. Main stream pet stores like PetSmart and Petco do them weekly. Or you can reach out to your community if you want to support your local businesses.

These options are going to be more expensive and cost some money. Depending on your personality and the energy of your dog it might be worth it. Only you and your dog can make this decision.

Good luck and remember patience is the key.