Introducing a new puppy into your family can be a fun and exciting time for you and your new pup. Many new dog owners may forget that dogs can be a big responsibility.
As your dog’s guardian, you will need to provide them with food, shelter, love, and tons of enrichment and exercise. Another huge responsibility that many people tend to overlook, though, is training.
To have a happy and healthy dog, you’ll need to properly socialise and train your four-legged best friend. And this all begins with dog obedience training.
Dog Obedience Training
There are a few basic commands that can help you on your journey of dog obedience training, including two of the most common and basic commands: sit and stay.
Without these basics, your dog may become unruly and display unwanted behaviours that may lead to more advanced training with a behavioural correction specialist.
Here at Allbreeds, we believe that there is no dog that can’t be trained, so we’ve listed a few tips that will help you navigate the basic training your pup will need as it settles into the home. If you struggle with dog obedience training, you can always ask a professional trainer for at-home training or join a puppy training or obedience class!
Alternatively, you can teach your pup at home. But, before you start your dog obedience training, you will need a few things to ensure your success.
Firstly, you will need a nice, open space to practice your basic commands in. Preferably, you’ll want to start out in an area with little to no distractions for your dog so that they can focus on the tasks they’ve been given.
Common distractions include other pets, children, and loud noises or cars. As your pet progresses in their training, you’ll be able to expose them to more of these distractions to practice what they’ve learned. But it’s best to keep them calm and happy when you’re starting out.
The other thing you’ll need is small training treats or other fun ways to reward your dog when they successfully follow a command. While some dogs may be food motivated, others will respond better to clicker training or fun toys that they can play with. Make sure to cater to what your dogs respond to.
Teaching Your Dog To Sit
Training your dog on how to sit can take some time. So, it’s important to remember that, throughout all of your training efforts, you’ll need to exercise some patience. Your dog will eventually grasp the concept that you are trying to teach them, so there’s no need to rush!
To teach your dog how to sit, you’ll need to hold your treat or reward in your hand and get onto your dog’s level. Make sure that your pup has seen the reward so that they are more motivated to listen and follow instructions.
Then, hold the treat above your pup’s head and slowly move it up over the head towards the tail. By doing this, your dog should begin to lift its head in search of its reward, and it should instinctually lower its hind legs and sit down.
Once your dog is sitting, you should use the command and hand signal or gesture you want to associate with the behaviour. You can say something like “Sit” and use a hand gesture like pointing your finger upwards or downwards.
You can then reward your dog and give them a good amount of praise to reinforce the behaviour and begin association.
Teaching Your Dog To Stay
Generally, this command is only taught once your pup has a good grasp of the sit command. Your dog should ideally begin this training exercise in a sitting position.
To teach your dog how to stay, you’ll need to use a firm but gentle tone and tell them to “stay”. You can use any phrase you’re comfortable with, though.
Then, you can move backwards and wait to see how your pup responds. If your dog moves forward, you will need to reset and make sure that they are back in their sitting position before trying again.
If your pup doesn’t move, you can move towards them again and give them their reward. Be sure to praise your dog as well! Over time, you’ll be able to increase the distance between you and your pup before giving them their reward.
Conclusion
Training your dog doesn’t have to be difficult! However, some dogs are naturally more spirited than others. So, if you need a helping hand, then check out our dog training services.
