Basic Dog Training
“How come your dog sits when you tell him to and mine doesn’t?", “How does your dog heel for you like that?", “Wow! He comes when you tell him to?” - Sound like comments you make? If so, you need to invest some time into a little bit of basic dog training. Starting to train your dog from a young age is crucial as the first few months of his life is when you'll have the greatest influence on him; this is where he's shaped into the dog he'll be when he is all grown up.
The most basic of dog training is to get your dog to sit and come. Teaching him those commands are essential asthe foundation of his continued training. These commands are used for various different reasons, if you're in competition, if your dog jumps, making him sit will immediately get him down and "come" is the all important one. If you take your dog for a walk, you let him off the leash and you expect him to come back to you, not run around the park with you chasing after him shouting “get over here right this instant”. That would be just down right embarrassing!
To teach your dog how to come requires only the most basic of techniques but a lot of repetition. The easiest way to get him to come is have a toy in one hand and a treat in the other, when you are in the house simply walk away from him, hold out the toy and excitingly call him to you, when he comes over give him a treat, always use the command for come that you are going to use in the future. Doing this several times a day is a great way to teach him, but remember to have lots of long breaks so he doesn’t get bored and stop enjoying it, and don’t forget the treats!
Getting him to sit could be slightly harder, but again only requires basic dog training. When you have mastered the come command call him to you, place your hand on the end of his back and say "sit" while gently pushing down on his backside, when he sits his bottom down give him a treat and a lot of praise. If you want him to sit longer just delay giving him the treat and the praise, get him to sit but take your time bending down to him and feeding him his titbit.
Basic dog training is simple and very effective. It should also be fun for you and your dog, it doesn’t have to be hours and hours each day just may be 5 minutes or so. Don’t forget to reward your dog and yourself for all the “hard” work though!
