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

Keep Your Dog Safe During the Holidays.

Everybody is coming and going, parties and dinners are in abundance and your dog is going crazy with all the activity. Keep your pet in mind when entertaining.

Here is the first scenario: Doorbell rings and people arrive. Your dog bounds to the door to greet them, jumps all over the guests and as they are filing in, your dog runs outside and into the street.

Second scenario: You have all these goodies out on tables awaiting the arrival of your guests. Chicken wings, chocolates, alcoholic egg nog, etc. You go to get dressed and your dog decides to be the taster.

Third scenario: Your dog is well behaved around people and loves to interact with them. You have no problem allowing him to join the party. However, your guests can't resist giving your pet a sample of what they are eating. Who can resist those big, soulful eyes?

The above examples show how a happy party can turn disastrous for you and your dog.

Food we humans find delicious (and so does your pet), can be fatal to your dog. Alcohol, chocolate, chicken or turkey bones and many more can cause a gastric nightmare or worse. Also, the decorations around your house can be a temptation to your pet, such as electric cords, Christmas tree water with preservative in it, tinsel, tree ornaments, live holiday plants, the list goes on.

So how do you keep your pet safe and enjoy holiday entertaining? Over the years we have encountered the above problems and our own home and at friends and family parties.

The best thing we have found is before your guests arrive and you put out the holiday goodies, sequester your dog in another room with water, a toy and some soft music to help soothe him. The music volume should be at medium level, to help distract him from the noise of the party.

If your pet is very well trained and use to the excitement of holiday activity, allow him to stay and celebrate with you and your company. However, let your guests know not to feed your dog any of the party food or drink. If they want to give him a treat, then keep a bowl of his favorite dog goodies handy so your guests can give them out to your pet.

After the festivities, clean up your house immediately or at least put all the plates and such on a high counter to take care of the next morning. If you do clean up after, make sure the trash is secured and not where your pet can get into it.

The holidays should be a happy time for all, including your dog. So practice keeping your pet safe this holiday season just as you would your children.

And don't forget to tell Santa what your dog would like under the tree. Our dogs enjoy unwrapping their presents Christmas morning (ripping the paper, actually) and then trotting away with their prize to chew or play.

We wish a safe and happy Holiday season to all our two and four legged friends and family. May the Season bring you peace and joy.

                            "Let's Get This Party Started!"

Many of our family and friends have asked our advice about their dogs and suggested we put together a website for tips, help and fun pages for dog owners. So we did. If you found this article helpful, you can view more information at http://the-best-dog-for-you.com.

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Dog Obedience Training: 3 Big Mistakes.

Puppies are cute, but unless they are trained well, they can grow up to be very disagreeable. Responsible dog owners need to invest time in training their pup. Oftentimes most people make the same mistakes when training, especially with their first dog. Below you will see the top 3 most common mistakes that uninitiated dog owners make when training their new puppy.


1. You do not have to assert your Alpha role by always "punishing" your dog when you call him. I refer here to doing something to him that he does not enjoy doing. For example, it is not a good idea to call your dog, and then clip his nails. Another unpleasant thing for the dog is to have his leash strapped to a post. When you call your dog, let him associate this with something pleasant. Use a cheerful voice, pet him, and tell him what a good dog he is. Let him associate good things with your call, and he will come to you every time. He will also be trusting of you during unpleasant tasks like having his nails clipped.

2. Do not presume that a dog will eventually grow out of bad behavior; it is simply not going to happen. You are the Alpha, and you must assert that. A dog wants to be trained, and he wants to live comfortably in your home. This is best possible when he knows the house rules. So from the start, take time to teach your dog what is, and is not acceptable behavior at home.

3. Do not hit your dog as a method of training. This will only make your dog aggressive, or at the very least, a submissive wetter. Instead, focus on reinforcing good behavior with doggie pats and rewards. The best dog is a happy dog.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Glen_James