Hey Dog Lovers,
Today I talk about 6 important behavior skills you should teach your dog. I recommend 5-10 minutes a day of training for all dog ages from puppies to adults. Puppies do have a shorter intention span so 5 may be your max and older dogs may be able to focus closer to the 10 minute mark. These 5-10 minutes can also improve their mental health as well as their physical.
Sit
Provides a polite way to greet people and other dogs
Gives the owner more control in a variety of situations
Start by teaching them to sit with no distractions and build them up to more
Tip: Ask for a sit before going outside any doors or when they are waiting for their food.
Stay
Long term command for when you want your dog to stay in one place and not follow you or move forward
Safety reason: prevents your dog from darting into traffic or run off after a squirrel
Stay should become a part of your daily routine
Have a release word to tell them they can move (I use “OK” with Aussie)
Down
Gives you the freedom to enjoy everyday things without having to constantly manage your dog (Bars, restaurants)
Prevent/Manage meal time begging
Down position lures your dog into a calmer state
Can be hard to learn for some dogs so use your best technique
Come
Most important command in keeping you dog safe and out of danger
Come should always be completed with a reward (Treat, game, praise)
You always want your dog to associate come as being always worth it and to past all distractions
Leave it
Dogs are likely to find anything and everything during their day. Garbage, dead animals, poop, antifreeze, chocolate, whatever. If it’s something they should stay clear of — they always seem to find it.
Commands the dog to turn their head towards you and away from the thing they should not have
Build a strong foundation and slowly increase difficulty as to not set your dog up to fail.
Drop it
Instead of reaching in their mouth for the object a drop it is safer for all parties involved
Reaching in can lead to choking, poisoning, or ingesting something that may have to be taken out at your nearest Animal ER.
Playing Tug is a great training game to build the behavior and teached your dog that if they are willing to drop an item on cue they get rewarded with more fun.
Make sure to check back weekly for: Training Tuesdays and Thursday Thoughts!
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