Training Your Dog for Basic Commands

Begin by teaching your dog to “sit.”

You can control many situations by building a strong “sit” command. If your dog barks at the doorbell or if it is rushing to bark, you can ask it to stop and reward it with a “sit” command. Then, take the dog to a quiet area where it will not bark.

• Show your dog a treat to teach it to sit. The treat should be held to the dog’s nose. Next, arc it upwards. Speak “sit.” The treat will cause your dog’s head to follow you, causing its bottom to drop and its heads to go up. Click-clack the clicker to reward your dog’s bottom when it touches the ground.
• When your dog does this consistently, you can start to stop giving the reward. This creates uncertainty in your dog’s mind as to whether they get a reward. It stops them from taking rewards for granted. This makes the dog work harder. Just reward the dog for every fourth or fifth command.
• When your dog can sit on command consistently, you should ask it to do the same when out and about.

Teach your dog how to obey you

In the same way that “sit” is taught, “stay” should be taught. Start by getting the dog to sit down, and then move one step away. When the dog does not move, say “stay” and click-clack to reward it. Gradually increase your distance until the dog can move freely.

Teach recall

Start in a small area so that the dog is not too far away. If the dog turns around and walks towards you, signal it with a “here” cue. Continue to move the dog towards your click-clack and give it a big treat and a fuss. Continue repeating these commands until your dog understands what you want. You can tell it to come when you feed it, or in any other situation that you provide.

• Your dog should feel good about coming to you. Reward your dog often and be excited. Begin with short “come” distances, and then let the dog go quickly to get to what it was doing.
• Dogs and owners often get confused by recalls. It’s human nature to correct the dog after it comes to you, even if it takes 30 minutes to come to you. Dogs learn that if they come, it is a sign you are angry and will not return. You can give conflicting instructions to your dog by telling him or her off. No matter how long it takes to get your dog off the leash, be happy to see them and make a fuss of them.
• After the dog is comfortable with the command in a small area, you can try it out in the yard. Be sure to check your dog’s recall before letting him/her off-leash at the park. You can tie the dog to a long rope so you can pull it back if it does not obey.

Teach your dog how to go to the bathroom outside

You can retrain your dog the same way you would a puppy if the dog is not house-trained. You should give your dog lots of exercise. When you get home, put him in a small area or a crate.Teach him to love the cage. Do this every morning and at night. He will eventually realize that it is a very easy way to get a treat. To do this, he must empty his bladder and bowel contents into a specific place to be eligible for a treat.

• Don’t tell him off or scold him if he has an accident in the house. Use an enzymatic cleaner to clean it up. This will eliminate any scent clues that could lead to him returning to the area. Avoid household cleaners containing bleach and ammonia, as they can unwittingly exacerbate the smell.

Teach your dog to respect boundaries

Start with something that the dog might pick up, but it isn’t their favorite toy. Then let the dog pick up the object and then give it the super tasty treat. To get the treat, your dog must drop the object. If it’s not able to do this, let the dog know by letting its jaw relax and saying “drop it!” Give the treat to your dog by clicking on the button that the dog clicks when it drops the toy. Continue repeating the same thing as for other commands.

• If your dog is interested in something you don’t want it to eat, you can tell it to go. When it turns its attention to you, praise it.
• When training your dog, make sure to keep temptation out of his or her path. If the dog picks up something, especially if it is dangerous, you can press on the cheeks at the back of your jawbone to praise it. If the dog is attempting to retrieve something, don’t force it.

Teach your dog how to get off the furniture

If your dog jumps or climbs on furniture, you can tell it to stop. You can praise it when it does. You can also shove it off the furniture if necessary. Make a disapproving sound and move your knee forward to bump the dog if it jumps on you. If your dog is prone to snapping at furniture being removed from his home, you can attach a lead to the house. Keep the dog down until he is calm.

Teach your dog how to behave around people, even if they are ecstatic to see you

Use treats and a command to teach your dog how to sit down. If that fails, you can use treats and a command such as “off” to get your dog to sit down.

Special Conditions Taken into Account

You are training an adult dog who has had a lifetime of experience.

Training your dog is a lifetime process that should continue no matter how old they are. If you are a rescuer or have discovered that your dog is in bad behavior, you will need to learn how to train an adult dog.

Take into account any medical conditions.

Your veterinarian is a good place to start. This will help you find any health problems that might make your dog less obedient and let you know what it can and can’t do.

• If your dog won’t sit, it could be because she or he has hip pain. This can make it difficult for the dog to sit. It is possible to give pain relief medication to the dog and also to use an alternative command, such as “stand”.
• If the adult dog is acting willfully, it may be worth learning that they are deaf and cannot hear your commands. This will allow you to use hand signals instead of verbal commands to get the dog to obey.

Take some time to get to know your adult dog

If a dog becomes aggressive towards stranger dogs, does it mean he is afraid or protecting his territory? You can help your dog learn the trigger by helping him build his confidence around other dogs and removing toys that are territorial.

• If he runs away and is unneutered, getting him desexed may be a good idea.
• You can identify the weak points in your dog’s training so that you can improve them. Is there a particularly bad habit that your dog has? Or could it be that his training needs some general improvement?
• If he responds well, you can teach him tricks. It is a great way to build a relationship with your dog and to help him understand that you are in control. Training a grieving dog to be calm and distracted can help ease their grief.