Home / Basic Training / Fun Tricks / Answered Questions / Doggie Fun / Great Links Basic Training Class is now in session! Continued... The Doggie Do's and Don'ts. Okay, so you know how to be a pack leader now, and I'm sure you're chomping at the bit to get to the commands, right? Well, before you start, I have some do's and don'ts for you to help make your training as effective as possible. Please read them carefully. They are important (otherwise, I'd save myself the time of typing all of this, right?). *wink* DON'T expect too much too soon..... First of all, when you give your dog a command, you are speaking a language that is foreign to it. What if I gave you the command "Do It". Would I be fair to reprimand you if you didn't know what I wanted? Nope. So if you tell your dog to "roll over" and it hasn't solidly learned it yet, you must be patient and refrain from showing anger or frustration. DO enforce a command if you're dog 100% knows what it means..... If Rover knows "sit" like the back of his paw, then repeating the command over and over while he ignores you will do nothing but teach him it's okay to tune you out. Also, when you repeat a command like that you sound like nothing more than a yapping puppy to your dog, which takes away from your pack leadership. What you should do instead is "Ask, Tell, Enforce". Example: "Sit?" "Sit!!" "Sit" with physical placement. DON'T do too much training at once..... If you work your dog too long it will become less and less attentive. Its success rate will decline, and in the end, everyone will become frustrated. Practice commands for 5-10 minutes at a time; unless it's fun and interesting for your dog, like fetch. DO praise your dog when he does what you ask..... Telling Spuds he is a good boy when he obeys is the way you "show" him what you want. When you praise him, he learns that his actions have pleased you. And he makes the connection between your command and his response. In addition, he will work harder if he knows he will get affection and attention from you when he does what you ask. DON'T yell at, hit, or get violent with your dog..... Any of the above will not teach Lassie to respect you. She will only fear you and have a broken relationship with you. If she is doing something you don't like, cease the behavior with a firm unemotional noise or word, such as "Hey, Enough, or Eh-eh!" Or if she's just busy doing something else when you're attempting to train her, get her attention by guiding her away from the area, making kissing sounds, or clapping. Also, you can use a squeaky toy to captivate her. WARNING: If you use a squeaky toy over and over and over, she will tune it out. Keep it new and interesting by using it for a few squeaks then hiding it until next time. DO use better rewards for more difficult commands..... A lot of dogs have trouble with the "Down" command (laying down), yet very few have difficulty with "Sit". Perhaps instead of the usual treat, which you would use for "Sit", you should break out some of that yummy baked chicken to get your dog interested in laying down for you. Or if your dog isn't interested in food, have a more exciting praise voice and affection session when they succeed. DON'T use big treats..... This is a very common mistake so don't feel bad if you do it. If you use large treats, your dog will fill up quickly and no longer work for the reward. Not only this, but it's bad for their digestive system to have so much junk food. Besides, by the time your dog is done chewing a large treat, he's already forgotten what he got the reward for in the first place! I personally use Purina Moist & Meaty, which is supposed to be a type of dog food, but most of the dogs I've worked with think it's a delicious treat. In any case, it's the perfect size for rewarding. Otherwise you MUST break up your treats into smaller pieces. And trust me when I say your dog can't tell the difference between a large treat and a small one. They are more interested in the taste of the treat and will consider themselves rewarded either way. DO use hand signals with ALL of your commands... Not only do hand signals make the commands more clear to your dog, but you can also train your dog to the point where you can use hand signals alone to perform commands. Imagine what your friends would think about Rover performing an amazing act while you only move your arms and hands! Just make sure you choose sharp and specific hand signals for each command and stick to it. If you change the hand signal after your dog has learned it, you will only confuse your dog. Also, be careful not to make some hand signals look too similar to others. This can cause confusion as well. The Basic Commands. Now you've suffered through my nagging. Congrats! You are wise to have absorbed as much information as you could and you are ready to start training your dog! Below is a drop down list containing basic commands for your dog. If you do not see the command you are looking for, it may be on the "Fun Tricks" page. Or if not, contact me through the link below and I'll see if I can add it for you. Good luck and remember... Patience, Persistence and Knowledge! Basic Training Commands... Sit Down Stand Come Wait Go Potty Intermediate Training Commands... Sit-Stay Down-Stay Heel Have a Question or Comment? Home / Sitemap Copyright © 2006 royaladybug.com All rights reserved. Disclaimer: The Pup Pages are to be used as a general training aid only! If you are having serious problems with your dog, it is recommended that you consult either a veterinarian, an accredited trainer in your area or a behaviorist for special attention.