The 5 Essential Dog Training Commands for Your Pooch Amy Smith, August 27, 2024August 27, 2024 Anyone can teach their dog the most impressive range of advanced commands with loads of patience and consistency. However, like most things, start slowly with smaller goals to achieve success. When training your dog, especially if it is young, it is crucial to begin with the most essential commands. Once your pup has mastered the basics, you can move on to teaching them more advanced commands. Below are the five most essential dog training commands to teach your furry friend: Sit Sit is one of the easiest and most-used commands to teach your dog. This one gets a lot of mileage in the home because it helps gain their attention. Frequently used before mealtimes, getting your dog to sit before eating can help them calm down and be more focused. Dogs generally learn this command the quickest – and it is the foundational command for further training and bonding. Wait This command trains your dog to pause and stay in place until given a release cue. When you need to control their movements, like when opening doors or getting out of the car – this is the command to use. As with all commands, teaching your dog in a calm but firm tone is essential. Come The “come” command is one of the most essential. It gets used when your dog is heading towards danger. Dogs are curious animals and sometimes do not think things through – often acting on instinct alone. Just because your dog has instincts does not mean they will keep them safe. The “come” command will help to keep your dog safe if they break free of their leash or run out the front door. It is this return command that will establish a good dynamic in your relationship – provided your behavior matches the command – and you act like the alpha. If you find your dog frequently escaping your property, contact a reputable company like Pittsburgh Pet Fence to offer the best advice on what fence to use to contain your pup. There are several options available to choose from so do not fret. Stay Stay is a basic dog command, but it is trickier to teach. Dogs, especially puppies, have a hard time controlling their impulses. Once your dog has learned the stay command, you will be better able to maintain control in multiple situations and around most distractions. Patience and practice are vital for teaching this command – and plenty of healthy treats to reward good behavior! No While having a puppy or dog and constantly saying no might seem mutually exclusive – teaching them to respond to the command is vital. The best way to teach your pup what behavior you do not want is to first show them what behavior you do. That way, when they do something wrong, they can quickly divert to the behavior that got them a reward instead of a stern command. Dogs are generally people-pleasers who love food – which means that training them should not be that much of a challenge. To End With the proper training methods that cater to their unique personality and learning style, your dog can learn these basic commands in just a few weeks. A well-trained dog is happier, safer, and more sociable – so learning these commands will benefit your whole family, furry friends included! Image Source: Freepik Share on FacebookTweetFollow usSave Pets