10 Basic Commands Every Dog Needs to Know.

Your lifestyle dictates the commands most important for you and your dog, and you may not need all of them I include in this post. Nor does the order in which I list them necessarily reflect their relative importance to you.

1. Sit - The safety command

Permitting Buddy to barge uncontrollably through doorways isn't a good idea - you may get mowed down in the process. Get into the habit of making Buddy sit before you open a door. After he sits, it doesn't matter weather you release him to go through first, or weather you go first and then release him, so long as he sits until you tell him it's OK to move.

Similarly, make him wait before you go down the stairs, or get in and out of the car.

2. Sit - The convenience command

The "sit" command lets you control buddy during periods of excitement, such as the happy greeting when you return home, when visitors arrive, and when you're about to take him out for a walk and want to put his collar and leash on. "sit" is also the easiest way to stop buddy from jumping on people.

One question I frequently get asked is, "he doesn't jump on me any more, but how do I get him to stop jumping on visitors?" My advice is to enlist the help of friends and neighbours to train Buddy. Show the visitor how to induce buddy into a sit with a treat and the command, and then reward him with a treat. Ask as many people as you can to help you. It won't take Buddy long before he'll sit on his own in front of a visitor in expectation of his treat. At that point, you no longer need to give him a treat every time he responds correctly. A "good dog" with a scratch under the chin will suffice.

3. Stay

You use the "stay" command when you want Buddy to remain in one position - sit, stand or down - until you tell him he can move again. Generally, the length of time you want him to stay in position is relatively short, no more than 5 to 10 minutes. The key to it's value is that he has to learn to stay until you release him. After he gets into the habit of releasing himself, the command has lost its usefulness. One example of when to use this command is when you feed your dog. Before putting his bowl down, tell him to "sit" and "stay". Put his bowl down, count to five, and then release him with "Okay".

4. Go lie down

Telling your dog to "go lie down" is another command of convenience. During mealtimes, you don't want buddy hanging out by the table. The "go lie down" command tells him to chill out in his favorite spot until you're done, or when you have guests and he insists on making a nuisance of himself.

5. Come

"Come" is as much a command of convenience as of safety. You need this command anytime you want Buddy to come to you for whatever reason - after he has enjoyed a nice romp in the park or when he is chasing a cat. Unless he responds reliably to the "come" command, you need to keep him on a leash in situations where he might be a danger to others or himself.

6. Easy

We use the "easy" command when we don't want Buddy to pull on the leash. This command is useful for anyone who walks, jogs or bicycles with his dog as a form of exercise. Use the same technique for pulling on the leash. Say "easy" before you make your turn and continue walking. You can also use "easy" to teach your dog to take treats from your hand without the alligator intimidation.

7. Give

The "give" command is useful for taking something out of Buddy's mouth that you don't want him to have and that he doesn't want to give up. The object can be anything, from one of your favorite possessions, to the piece of meat he has just stolen off the counter.

My favourite way of getting buddy to give up whatever he has in his mouth is to trade - offer him a treat in exchange for what he has in his mouth. If he has food, you may have to offer him something of equal value, such as a frozen chicken wing. It is a good idea to keep these in your freezer at all times and use them as special treats. Of course, sometimes you don't have a treat handy, in which case you just have to open his mouth and remove the object.

8. Off

"Off" is a commonly used command for getting the dog off the furniture. The command is also frequently used to stop dogs from jumping on people, although "sit" is a better choice because it's more specific.

Whether you allow your dog on the furniture is a matter of personal preference. You can certainly train him to stay on the floor, at least as long as you're in his presence. Chances are, however, that when you're gone, he'll settle on his favorite couch only to quietly slide off when he hears you coming home.

If you are adamant about keeping your dog off the furniture, you have several options.

* Don't give him the run of the house.

* Place a broomstick on Buddy's favorite chair or couch while you're gone. The broomstick works well with most dogs, although I know of instances where the dog removed the stick.

* Invest in one or more Scat Mats. Scat Mats come in different sizes and are designed to keep dogs and cats off the furniture by giving the animal an electric shock when he steps on it. The intensity of the shock can be regulated.

Scat Mats are also used to restrict access to a room or part of the house. Again, the device isn't foolproof, because some dogs figure out they can jump over the mat.

9. Leave it

" leave it" is another command that tells the dog to ignore whatever interests him at the time. The object of his interest can be a cat, another dog, a person, or something on the ground.

10. No "NO" Command

My least favorite command is "No". I prefer to tell a dog exactly what it is I want him to do with an action command, such as "come," "sit," or "down." When the dog responds, you can then praise him and tell him how good he is.

"No" is nebulous, negative, and overused, and most of the time doesn't give the dog any specific instruction or directive. Worse yet, "No" doesn't generally lend itself to being followed by praise. For example, Buddy wants to jump on you, you yell "No", and he stops. Can you now praise him? No, because he may still be thinking about jumping on you and praising him encourages him to try again, not the message you want to give.

All in all, eliminate the word from your communications with Buddy. Of course, in an emergency, you do what you have to.

This site contains the information you need to train Buddy to respond to these commands.

Figuring out the cause of behavior problems.

Many dog behavior problems have a common cause or a combination of causes. In order of importance they include the following:

1. Boredom or frustration due to insufficient excercise.

2. Mental stagnation due to insufficient quality time with you.

3. Nutrition and health related problems.

Loneliness is prehaps the most difficult problem to overcome. By necessity, many dogs are left alone anywhere from eight to ten hours a day with absolutely nothing to do but get into mischief. Fortunately, there are some things you can do in addition to spending quality time with him when you're together. If Fido is really unhappy take him to doggy daycare or get another dog as his companion.

Before addresing behavior problems specifically I give you my general prescription for good behavior in this post.

Excercise

You notice excercise is on the top of the list. Excercise needs vary, depending on the size and energy of your dog. Many dogs need a great deal more excercise than their owners realise. Bull terriors are a good example. If the owner of an english bull terrior lives in an appartment in a large city, and the dog doesn't get enough free running excercise, he's bound to develop behavior problems. These problems can range from tail spinning, which is a neurotic behavior, to ripping up furniture. This dog would show none of these behaviors if he were living in a houysehold where adequate excercise, both mental and physical, was provided.

Dog trainers have a maxim: "tired dogs are happy dogs."Dogs who have adequate excercise can expend their energy through running, retrieving, playing, and training rarely show objectional behaviors. Dogs denied those simple needs frequently redirect their energy into unacceptable behaviors.

When your dog engages in behaviors that you consider objectionable, it can be a vexing problem.. Sometimes the behavior is instinctive, such as digging. Sometimes it occurs out of boredom, but never because the dog is ornery. Before you attempt to deal with the behavior, you need to find out the cause.

The easiest way to stop a behavior is by addressing the need that brought it about in the first place rather than by trying to correct the behavior itself. If theres one single cause for behavior problems, it's lack of adequate excercise.

Good company

Many years ago, I labled a set of behaviors I used to see in my dog obedience classes as single-dog syndrome These dogs would run away from their owners more frequently than those dogs living in multi dog households. They'd growl around their food bowls, be picky eaters, be possesive about toys, and much more unruly than dogs living in homes with other dogs.

Good company means not only that you act as a companion to your dog but also that your dog shares the company of other dogs as frequently as possible. Some possibilities include taking regular walks in parks where he can meet other dogs, join a dog club where dog activities are offered, or putting your puppy into daycare several days a week. Dogs are pack animals and thrive on the company of other dogs. Socialisation of your pet is a continuing process. For more information on dog activities follow this blog and see future posts.

Keeping Fido in good health isn't as easy as it was 50 years ago. It seems that with the advance of science in so many dog related fields, dogs should be healthier than ever. This isn't the case. Too often through poor breeding practices, poor nutrition, and overvaccination, a dogs health has been threatened as never before.

Having a dog that has constant health problems - from minor conditions, like skin irritations, picking up fleas, smelling, ear infections, and the like, to more serious conditions that affect his internal organs, such as kidneys, the heart, liver nad thyroid, is no fun! Not feeling well can cause your dog many behavior problems, from aggression to timidity, and health related conditions are often confused with behavior problems. Fido may have eaten something that upset his stomach, causing a house soiling accident. He may have a musculoskeletal disorder making changes of position painful and causing irritability and sometimes snapping. These concerns are obviously not amenable to training solutions, and certainly not to discipline. For more on your dogs health, follow this blog and see future posts.

Good nutrition

You are what you eat applies to dags as it does to people. Properly feeding your dog makes the difference betwen sickness and health and has a profound effect on his behavior. And with the abundance of dog foods on the market, figuring out whats best for your pet can be difficult.

There are several ways to correctly feed your dog. One way is to select a commercial kibble that has two animal proteins in the first three ingredients. You can add some fresh raw foods to the kibble. Another way is to buy a dehydrated version of a natural diet dog food, to which you add some yoghurt and meat. A third way is to make your own dog food. Your choice depends on your level of comfort and the time you have to devote to your dog. For more information on your dogs nutritional needs follow this blog and see future posts.

Good training

Behavior problems don't arise because your dog is ornery or spiteful, and dicipline is rarely the answer. Mental stagnation can also be the cause of unwanted behavior. Training your dog on a regular basis, or having him doing something for you, makes your dog feel useful and provides the mental stimulation he needs. See this site:



Use your imagination to get your dog to help around the house, and you'll be suprised by how useful he can become.