Having a well-behaved dog will help you better interact with your canine friend. You can let it walk off the leash and won’t have to worry if your door is open. For dog training Los Angeles check K9 Answers Dog Training. They are experienced dog trainers who offer puppy training, board and train, and private training as well. While dog trainers play an important role in training your dog, there are some things that you can teach them yourself. Below are 7 basic commands that you can train your dogs to follow:
Look at Me
This is one of the first commands to use while training your dog. You must get your dog’s attention to be able to train it. And you will have your dog’s full attention only when it looks at you. You can use a treat to get its attention. Hold up the treat in your hand till your dog sees it. Then bring it up to eye level while you use the command “look at me.” Let the dog’s attention stay on the treat and your eyes for a few minutes. Then say good and give the dog the treat. This will tell the dog that it has followed instructions and done what you wanted it to do.
Sit
Sit is one of the most basic commands to use on your dog. This command can be used when you want to give your dog a time-out. It helps the dog control its impulses at dangerous places like street crossings and also teaches it social manners when meeting new people. You can use the lure method to teach your dog this command. Hold your dog’s favorite treat in your hand. Take it close to your dog’s nose and then move it up and over its head while saying the word “sit.” Its nose will follow the treat, and the direction of the movement will force its body to sit. Don’t forget to say good and give the treat as soon as your pet sits down. Repeat this process several times till the dog understands what you want it to do. After some time, you can use just the command without the treat.
Down
A down position will help your dog get calm. It helps control impulsive behavior. You can use the lure technique to teach the down command as well. Ask your dog to sit in front of you. Then hold the treat close to its nose and move it downward in front of it. The dog’s nose will follow the treat till it lies down. Say good as soon as the dog goes down and give it the treat.
Come
Come is a critical command that you should teach your dog. It can save your dog’s life in dangerous situations. There are many ways to teach your dog this command. You can start by calling out your dog’s name and saying come. Give it a treat when it comes close to you. The next step in this command is to make your dog sit or lie down after it comes to you. Sit down a few feet away from your pup and say the word come. Hold out a treat as you say the word. Give the treat to the dog as it comes close and says good. You can gradually increase the distance as your pet understands what needs to be done.
Leave It
Dogs tend to pick up anything on their walks or during playtime. The leave it command becomes important as it can prevent your dog from putting potentially dangerous things in its mouth. You can use a bait and switch tactic to teach this command. Say leave it before your dog picks up something. Leave a treat on the floor and cover it with your hand. Keep another attractive treat in your other hand. As the dog sniffs the treat on the floor and tries to take it, say leave it and show the other treat.
Drop It
You can use this command when your dog already has something in its mouth. You can use a toy and treat to teach this command. Wait till your pet takes the toy in its mouth. Then show it the treat and say drop it. Give it the treat as soon as it drops the toy and say good.
Stay
Your pet should have mastered sitting before you teach it to stay. Begin by asking your dog to sit and then use a hand signal to tell it to stay. Then move two or three steps away and repeat the command. If it starts following you, say no in a gentle voice. Put it back in a sit position and use the command stay.
Dogs are very intelligent creatures. But most importantly they also have a lot of empathy making them great companions. However, they need to be trained well to ensure that there is a clear communication path between you and it. Basic command training is the foundation of a great relationship between you and your canine companion.
