5 First Essential Commands You Can Teach Your Dog

Having a dog which knows some commands can be so helpful in your relationship with your dog. Today we are gonna talk about where to start your dog obedience training, and which commands can you start with at first.

1. « Sit » command

Sit Command

The first obedience command to start with is "sit" command.

-Hold a treat close to your dog’s nose.

-Move your hand up, allowing his head to follow the treat and causing his bottom to lower.

-Once he’s in sitting position, say “Sit,” give him the treat, and share affection.

Repeat this exercise every day with your dog, until he has it mastered. Then ask your dog to sit before mealtime.

2. « Come » command

Come Command

This command will help you to keep your dog out of trouble and teach him to come back to you if you lose grip on the leash or something else.

-at first, Put a leash and collar on your dog.

-Go down to your dog's level and say, “Come,” and at the same time while gently pulling on the leash.

-When he gets to you, reward him with affection and a treat.

Repeat this for a lot of times, and once your dog mastered it with the leash, remove it and exercise the command again without the leash, just choose a safe place and enclosed area.

3. « Down » command

Down Command

In this command, you will teach your dog how to stay in down position. This can be the more difficult commands in our dog obedience training because this position is a submissive posture.

- first trick is to Find a particularly good smelling treat, and hold it in your closed fist.

- Hold your hand up to your dog’s nose, and wait until he sniffs it, then move your hand to the floor, so he follows.

- Then slide your hand along the ground in front of him to encourage his body to follow his head.

- Once he’s in the down position, say “Down,” give him the treat, and share affection.

4. « stay » command

Stay Command

To start this command, please be sure that your dog is an expert at the "Sit" command

- First, ask your dog to “Sit”

- Then open your hand in front of you, and say the command “Stay.”

- Take a few steps back. Reward your dog with a treat and affection.

- Gradually increase the number of steps you take before giving the treat.

- Always reward your pup for staying put — even if it’s just for a few seconds.

5. « Leave it » command

Leave Command

This command can help to keep your dog safe, for example, if he is curious about something intriguing but possibly dangerous on the ground! and in this training, we will teach our dog that he will get something even better if he ignores the other item.

- first of all Place a treat in both hands.
- then, Show to your dog one enclosed fist with the treat inside, and say, “Leave it.”

- after that, Let him lick, sniff, mouth and try to get it.

- wait until he stops trying, give him the treat from the other hand.

- Repeat again and again, until your dog moves away from that first fist when you say, “Leave it.”

- Finally, give your dog the treat, only when he moves away from that first fist and also looks up at you.

- Say the command “Leave it,” place the less attractive treat on the floor, and cover it with your hand.

- Wait until he ignores that treat and looks at you. Then remove that treat from the floor, and give him the better treat and share affection immediately.

- Once your dog got it, place the less tasty treat on the floor… but don’t completely cover it with your hand. Instead, hold it a little bit above the treat. Over time, gradually move your hand farther and farther away until your hand is about 6 inches above.

- Now your dog is ready to practice with you standing up! Follow the same steps, but if he tries to snatch the less tasty treat, cover it with your foot.