Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Dog Training - Essential Commands

An outline of the essential commands you should teach your dog with any training course. They will help to establish the relationship between you and your dog:

The first few commands that you teach your dog, will probably be the most important and useful ones that they will ever learn. Since teaching a dog to follow commands can sometimes be a lengthy process, most trainers agree that basic orders should be taught at an early age. In this article I am going to explain to you the commands which I used to train my rottweiler puppy. I found that these commands are necessary for all types of situations and if taught correctly they will ensure the safety, security, and stability of your dog and anyone they interact with. If you own a rottweiler, or are interested in my own experience with training my own dog feel free to read my blog on rottweiler training.

The "Sit" Command
Probably the number one command taught in every dog training course is to sit. Teaching your dog is important for a variety of situations. When your dog meets neighbors or friends he might try and jump on them (a common problem with untrained dogs). Another instance is during feeding time, dogs get anxious when they see you holding their food bowl and will try and jump to grab it out of your hand. If you teach them to sit, any time they become over excited in a situation it is a command that will be extremely helpful.




The "Down" Command
When your dog becomes very disruptive especially when you have guests or doing something that you need to concentrate on you need to teach them the "down" command. Down is one step further from the sit command. Down means telling them to lie down on the ground and remain there quietly. Although it seems a bit of an extreme command, it is useful when you need some peace or your dog begins to irritate your guests.

The "Stay" Command
Teaching your dog to stay will probably be the next best thing you can do. When you take your dog for a walk and you need to catch your breath you probably won't find it helpful if he or she continues to tug on the leash. If you prefer to take your dog without a leash (although a leash may be required in some states) this should probably your main priority. You don't want your dog to be running off and you scrambling after them to try and prevent them from disturbing anyone else. Teaching them to stay by your side, or in a specific position will save you from a lot of trouble when they become adults.

The "Come" Command
Another good command you will need when you take your dog for a walk is the "come" command. When he or she starts to chase random animals that you encounter, you will need to convince them not to run away but instead to return to you. Using the "come" command will also help you around the house if you cannot find it. The goal should be to have him associate the word "come' with returning to you.

The "Easy" Command
"Easy" is a general command for when your dog becomes rowdy or hyperactive (especially helpful with rottweilers). This commonly happens when they are taken out for a walk and tug continuously on the leash. Teaching them "easy" means that they should relax in a given situation and slow the pace down of whatever they are doing. It can also be used when meeting guests or other dogs, which might trigger some aggression with your own dog.

Although these are only a handful of commands that your dog should know in order to make them less disruptive, as I found out with my own rottweiler, they will set the stage for what is to come later on in dog training. Your dog will begin to understand that they have a responsibility to listen to you and follow your expectations.

By Stephen Elias
Buzzle.com
Published: 11/11/2009

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