Dog Training Basics

Getting a new puppy or adult dog is always an exciting time for the entire family. Dogs are known as man's best friend, and a loyal dog becomes a beloved member of the family. To achieve that level of love and companionship, it is important to start your puppy or adult dog o on the right foot. A solid grounding in obedience and problem behavior avoidance is essential to making your dog, and you, happier and healthier.

If you've ever wondered, "How does your dog sit when you tell him to and mine doesn't?" or "Wow! He comes when you tell him to," you need to invest some time into basic dog training. Starting to train your dog from a young age is crucial as the rst few months of his life is when you will have the greatest inuence on him; this is where he is shaped into the dog he is going to 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 for him to learn. These commands are used for various reasons, such as if your dog jumps, making him sit will immediately get him o, and "come" is the all-important command. If you take your dog for a walk, you let him o the leash and expect him to come back to you, not run around the park with you chasing after him shouting at him to "get here right this instance." That would be just downright embarrassing!

To teach your dog how to come requires only the most basic of techniques but a lot of repetition. The simplest way to get him to come is to 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 using 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 eective. It should also be fun for you and your dog, it doesn't have to be hours and hours each day, just maybe 5 minutes or so. Don't forget to reward your dog and yourself for all the "hard" work though!!

Let's start with a look at getting started on basic puppy training, from bringing the new addition home to making sure he is properly socialized and behaved.