New dog owners often labor under the mistaken belief that their pup will
automatically fit into their families. However, this is not necessarily the
case. While your dog is your friend, he must be trained to obey you in emergency
situations and in order to prevent embarrassing encounters with other people and
other animals.
Billie Wells, founder of Sit and Stay Obedience School in California, says
that the five basic commands for training your dog should always be preceded by
the dog’s name and are often more effective if a correct response is rewarded
with a treat:
- Sit—Hold a treat at the dog’s nose level; then, slowly back it up over
the dog’s head while giving the command, "Spike, sit" until the
dog’s hindquarters touch the ground.
- Heel—With the dog in the "sit" position, say, "Spike,
heel." Holding the treat just over the dog’s nose and keeping him on
a tight leash, start walking (left foot first). The dog’s shoulder should
be in line with your left knee.
- Come—Holding a treat at nose level, say, "Spike, come" (from a
six-foot distance) or walk backwards with the dog on a leash.
- Down—From a "sit" position, hold a treat out and under the dog’s
head. Slowly drop it in front of the dog until he goes down.
- Stay—Once in the "sit" position, say, "Spike, stay"
and slowly stand up. If the dog stands up, physically lay him down by
placing your left hand on the dog’s shoulder blades while scooping up both
front feet and laying them down with your right hand. Then, not going too
far and maintaining eye contact, walk away.
Source: NAPSI