Common Commands to Teach Your Dog

Now comes the fun part! After you have worked on dog training methods, obedience training, and aggression control, it's time to train your dog with commands. When your dog is a puppy, he'll be ready to use some basic commands -- which is very exciting!

"Come" is one of the most common commands. You'll want your dog to come when you call him for a variety of different reasons. There are many different things you can do to make this more effective. For example, give your dog a reason to come; such as receiving a tasty treat. When your dog does walk towards you, be sure to praise him soon so he knows he has done something good. This will mean he'll be more likely to repeat the action in the future.

Many people also wish to teach the dog how to sit. Again, this is useful in a variety of situations, so it is essential to know. An easy way to do this is to ensure that you always say the words with the actual action. When your dog sits down, say the word "sit." You can also hold a treat over your dog's head and move it back -- he will naturally sit down -- and give the "sit" command.

In addition to teaching your dog how to sit, you also want your dog to be able to stay. This is essential to help your dog avoid dangerous situations, or to simply obey your commands for a variety of different reasons.

You'll also want your dog to be able to lie down. This can be a difficult thing to train, so be sure you're using the best methods. You have to repeat this method over and over again so your dog is able to learn what to do each time.

Yet another common dog training technique is to heel. This is usually used to ensure that your dog walks right beside you. It is especially helpful for puppies whose instinct is to run freely. Eventually, your dog should be able to follow you no matter which direction you go in.

Clearly, there are several different commands you will want your dog to learn. It is your job as your dog's owner to teach them these things. It's not just for your benefit, there are benefits for him as well. It will help to ensure that your dog stays happy and realizes who is the boss.