Sadly, in opposition to popular hopes, puppies are not inherently trained to behave in the household setting. Considerable effort needs to be put in while dealing with your new furry friend to attain the title of ‘best-behaved.’ Many pet owners deal with the challenge of teaching their dogs obedience and developing their learning ability, rather than just performing for treats.
If you’re struggling to get your dog to listen or sit still, and you feel like you adopted a little terror, rather than that sweet furball, here are some tips:
Before You Start Training
- Find somewhere away from people, dogs and literally any possible distraction. Find the plainest room in the house, where no one ever goes. Or even a park that isn’t often used to make sure you get the full attention of the eager learner.
- Don’t overwhelm your furry friend; like humans, too much information can be pretty stressful and hard to retain. Keep the training sessions short and sweet, but stick to a routine. Avoiding changing the focus of the training session too much, and having plenty of breaks, will give you the best chance for Fido to learn.
- Mix up rewards and keep it interesting. It’s not all about the yummy treats and head pats, and you also need to give a good amount of praise verbally; for best chances, use all three reward systems. The more you reinforce that love and support, the better Fido will respond to commands.
To Teach a Dog to “Sit”
1. Make sure your dog is in its natural ‘standing’ position.
2. Grab a treat and hold it near your dog’s nose.
3. Move the treat from his nose to above his head.
4. Repeat until your dogs bottom sits on the floor.
5. When your dog sits, use multiple forms of praise.
6. Reinforce with the word “Sit” or another chosen word command.
7. Repeat a few times to reinforce before having a break.
To Teach a Dog to “Lay Down”
1. Stand directly in front of your dog.
2. Use the sit command on your dog.
3. Show the treat to your dog.
4. After letting your dog have a taste of the treat, lower the treat to the floor.
5. If your dog lays down, let them have the treat.
6. Reinforce with the word “Lay Down” or another chosen word command.
7. Remember to give plenty of praise.
8. If your dog will not lie down, make sure they are sitting and repeat the above method.
9. As always, repeat a few times to reinforce this command, but don’t overdo it.
To Teach a Dog to “Stay”
1. Start by getting your dog to lie down.
2. Decide what signal to use as the ‘Stop sign’. A flat palm is common.
3. Make your dog aware of the treat, but say “Stay” a few times first.
4. After your dog has waited for a moment, offer praise if they are still in the ‘lie down’ position.
5. If your dog moves, changes back to sitting or standing, don’t offer a treat and repeat the method above.
6. You can extend the ‘stay’ period as the dog gets more familiar with the command.
7. Keep practising but remember those breaks and rest periods. This one is the harder command of the three!
What Happens if Your Dog is Still Refusing to Respond to Commands
Depending on their breed and age, some dogs can prove more difficult to train. However, with time, patience, a good route, and a healthy relationship with the owner, pretty much any dog will eventually learn these commands.
Some people opt to get a professional dog trainer with those permanently dancing paws; others may go to a vet for advice.
