How to Teach Your Puppy Basic Commands

How to Teach Your Puppy Basic Commands

Here are some of the basic commands that are commonly taught to puppies:

  • Sit: This command can help your puppy stay calm in various situations. It’s often the first command taught to puppies.
  • Stay: This command is important for keeping your puppy safe. It can prevent them from running into dangerous situations.
  • Down: This command is similar to ‘sit’ but requires the puppy to lie down. It can be useful when the puppy needs to be calm for longer.
  • Come: This command is vital for calling your puppy back to you. It can be particularly useful in open spaces or if the puppy escapes from the house or yard.
  • Leave it: This command can prevent your puppy from picking up and potentially swallowing dangerous or unhealthy objects.
  • Drop it: If your puppy has already picked something up in its mouth, this command tells them to release it.
  • Heel: This command is used during walks to keep your puppy walking close to you instead of pulling on the leash.

Remember, training a puppy requires patience, consistency, and positive reinforcement. Rewarding your puppy with treats or praise is essential to make the training process enjoyable and effective.

Teaching your puppy some basic commands, such as “sit,” “stay,” and “come,” can help you and your dog bond and interact more effectively.

Teaching your puppy these commands should begin when you bring him home. Start by saying each command and providing a reward for successful completion.

Use treats and verbal praise, and be consistent with the command and the reward. If your puppy does not obey, do not punish him; instead, try again and be patient.

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Teach Your Puppy Basic Commands – Fetch

Here’s a simple step-by-step guide to get you started:

  1. Choose the Right Toy:
    • Start with a toy that your puppy loves. It could be a ball, a frisbee, or a soft toy. The important thing is that it should be something that your puppy is interested in.
  2. Get Your Puppy’s Attention:
    • Make sure your puppy is interested in the toy by waving it or throwing it in the air.
  3. Throw the Toy:
    • Once you have your puppy’s attention, throw the toy a short distance away. Make sure your puppy sees where you throw it.
  4. Encourage Your Puppy to Fetch:
    • As soon as your puppy goes after the toy, encourage it by saying “fetch” or “get it”.
  5. Praise and Reward:
    • When your puppy picks up the toy, praise it enthusiastically. If your puppy brings the toy back to you, give it a treat as a reward.
  6. Repeat:
    • Keep repeating these steps until your puppy understands what you want it to do. Be patient, as this could take some time.
  7. Extend the Distance:
    • Once your puppy understands how to fetch, you can throw the toy further away. Always remember to reward your puppy for returning the toy to you.
  8. Introduce ‘Drop It’ Command:
    • Once your puppy is comfortable fetching, you can teach it to drop the toy on command. Show a treat and say, “Drop it.” Most puppies will drop the toy to get the treat. Once the toy is dropped, give the treat as a reward.

Remember, every dog learns at its own pace. Be patient and consistent, and keep training sessions fun and positive.

Teach Your Puppy Basic Commands – Sit

Sit is one of the most natural commands for dogs to learn, which means it’s a good place to start. This command is also a great transition to other more complicated commands like stay and come.

To teach sit, kneel in front of your dog and say the command “sit.” Move your hand with a treat so your puppy follows it. When your dog sits down, please give them a treat and praise them.

Repeat this a few times until they can do it without your help.

As they get more comfortable with the sit command, add a release word (like “okay”) to your commands to encourage them to lie down instead of jump up.

When your dog can stay in this position for a few seconds, you can practice with it from a distance to improve its control and build up the duration.

When your dog can hold a solid “sit-stay” for fifteen to twenty seconds, you can delay the delivery of treats and focus on building their patience.

Practice this exercise several times, adding distance and varying the duration until your pup can hold a solid “sit-stay” 80 percent of the time.

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Teach Your Puppy Basic Commands – Stay

Training your puppy or dog to stay is an important part of basic obedience. It teaches them to remain in place until they are given a release command and is useful in many situations.

The first step in teaching your pup to stay is to get them used to the command. Start by saying “stay” calmly but firmly as you place a treat or toy before them.

Allow them to take the treat or toy, but don’t let them move away from it until you’ve said “okay” or “release.”

Once they understand the command, gradually increase the length of time you ask them to “stay.”

The next step is to increase the distance between you and your pup. Start by standing a few feet away, and give the command “stay”. If they remain in place, reward them with a treat or toy.

Gradually increase the distance, always rewarding them for good behavior.

Finally, you’ll want to teach them to stay in different environments. Start by practicing in a familiar room and then move to different rooms or outside.

You may need to repeat the process at each new location until your pup is comfortable staying in any environment.

This command is important because it helps your dog stay put in case of an emergency.

It can also be used to train your dog not to run off into the street when you get out of your car or to stop them from chasing children and causing trouble at a park.

Teach Your Puppy Basic Commands – Come

Training your puppy or dog to come when called is a critical teaching behavior. It will make your walks and playtime more enjoyable and can also be a lifesaver if your pup ever gets loose. You can teach your pup to come when called with consistency and patience.

The first step is to choose a word or phrase to use as your “come” cue. It should be something your pup can easily identify and will not get confused with other words or phrases.

Once you have picked your cue, practice the behavior with your pup.

Start by calling your pup to come from a short distance and rewarding them when they do. As your pup becomes more comfortable with the behavior, gradually increase the distance.

When calling your pup to come, use a happy and encouraging tone. You also want to ensure that your pup is not distracted by any exciting stimuli, such as another person or animal.

If your pup starts to wander off, gently remind them to return to you.

When your pup comes to you, reward them with a treat or a fun game. This will reinforce the behavior and help them understand that coming to you is good.

With time and consistent practice, your pup will learn that coming when called is the best thing they can do.

Teach Your Puppy Basic Commands – Leave It

Training your puppy or dog to Leave It is a necessary behavior to teach for the safety of both you and your pet. This command helps keep them from eating or playing with something potentially dangerous or running off and getting into trouble.

The Leave It command is especially important for dogs prone to counter-surfing or stealing items around the house.

The first step in teaching Leave It is to ensure your puppy or dog is familiar with basic commands such as sit, stay, and come. Once your pup is comfortable with these commands, you can teach them Leave It.

Start by having your pup sit and stay while you put a treat in your hand and close it. Hold your closed fist before your pup and tell them to “Leave It.”

If they try to get the treat, close your hand and repeat the command. Once they have stopped trying to get the treat, praise them and give them a different treat.

Once your pup understands Leave It, you can use it in different situations. If you are out for a walk and your pup tries to grab a stick or toy, tell them to Leave It and reward them for not taking it.

If your pup tries to eat something off the floor, tell them to Leave It and distract them with a toy or treat.

With patience and consistency, your pup will soon learn to Leave It when you give the command.

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Teach Your Puppy Basic Commands – Down

The first step is to start slowly and build up gradually.

Start by sitting your pup on a flat surface, such as the floor, and have them stay in this position.

Once they are in position, praise and reward them with a treat.

Next, you will want to use a command such as “Down” or “Lay Down.” Make sure to say the command in a firm but not harsh tone.

Once your pup or dog is in the down position, reward them with a treat or verbal praise. Repeat this process until your pup or dog is consistently obeying the command.

Once your pup or dog consistently responds to the command, you can add distractions. Start by having your pup or dog stay in the down position while you move around them.

If they stay in position, reward them with a treat and praise. As your pup or dog improves, you can add more distractions.

Finally, with enough practice, your pup or dog should be able to stay in the down position, even when there are distractions or you are away from home.

Training your pup or dog to DOWN is an essential skill that will help keep them safe, and it can be a fun and rewarding process for you and your furry friend.

Teach Your Puppy Basic Commands – Drop it

“Drop it” is a crucial command for your puppy to learn. It instructs the puppy to immediately let go of whatever is in their mouth. This can be particularly helpful if your puppy picks up something dangerous or harmful.

Here’s a simple step-by-step guide on how to teach your puppy the “Drop it” command:

  1. Start with a toy: Begin the training during playtime. Let your puppy grab a toy in their mouth.
  2. Introduce a treat: Show your puppy a treat and say, “Drop it.” Make sure the treat is enticing enough for your puppy to want to drop the toy.
  3. Reward the action: When your puppy drops the toy, give them the treat and praise them.
  4. Repeat: Practice this command with different toys and treats several times daily to help your puppy understand and generalize the command.
  5. Gradual progression: Once your puppy has mastered dropping toys, you can practice with other objects that your puppy may pick up.

Remember, it’s important not to forcefully pull the object out of your puppy’s mouth, as this might scare them or turn it into a game of tug-of-war.

Patience and consistency are key while training puppies.

Teach Your Puppy Basic Commands – Heel

“Heel” commands your dog to walk closely by your side rather than pulling on the leash or wandering off.

This command is especially useful for maintaining control during walks or in busy environments.

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to teach your puppy the “Heel” command:

  1. Choose a side: Decide which side you want your puppy to walk. Most people prefer that their dog walks on their left side.
  2. Start with a leash: Have your puppy on a leash. Hold the leash short enough so the puppy is right next to you but loose enough so it’s not pulling on its collar.
  3. Begin walking: Start walking with your puppy, using the leash to guide them into the correct position at your side.
  4. Use the command: As soon as your puppy is in the right position, say “Heel” and immediately reward them with a treat and praise.
  5. Repeat: Continue walking and using the command whenever your puppy is in the correct position. If your puppy pulls ahead or lags, stop walking and guide them back into position.
  6. Increase difficulty: Try practicing in more distracting environments or for longer periods.

Remember, training should always be a positive experience for your puppy. Use lots of treats and praise, and keep training sessions short but frequent.

Consistency and patience are the keys to successful training.

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