Puppy Management Basic Commands

  • Sit: Great for putting on the leash, greeting people, giving medication, brushing, and other situations. Ideally, have the dog make eye contact when sitting so you know you have his attention. Use a treat or your voice to have him look at you.
  • Down: A relaxed position that is also more comfortable for the dog, especially if you want him to stay for more than a minute
  • Off: Basically means 4 feet on the floor. Off the counter, the person, the couch, etc. ‘Off’ and ‘Down’ mean different things
  • Leave it: You are never, ever allowed to have that thing. I.e. poop, cat, squirrel, car, etc.
  • Come: Come ALL THE WAY to me, within petting distance, and if I’m moving, move with me. Very critical, can take a while to perfect.
  • Place: Somewhere for the dog to go and hang out until you tell them to do something else, but they can still be a part of the things going on. Has an obvious boundary, so is usually raised with a color/texture difference.
  • Quiet: Stop nuisance barking, crying, or whining.
  • Break: Release command, means you’re done training for the moment. Dogs should always have a release command so they know when they are allowed to move from a position. Can also use free, relax, release, etc.

How Training Works

Dogs are pack animals, and as such are only comfortable when their role within the pack has been established. An established role allows the dog to predict the reactions and needs of the rest of his pack. Without a confirmed, consistent role, the dog never knows when punishment or rewards will occur, and will spend most of the time anxious and worried.

Basic obedience helps to establish pet parents in role of pack leader, and lays down clear behavior guidelines that the pack can follow. If none of the humans take this role, the dog is forced to attempt to assume it, since the pack must have a leader. The pack leader controls where the pack goes, when and what the pack eats, and how the pack behaves toward one another. Having clear guidelines allows the dog to relax, since she knows what behaviors earn what types of attention.

Most trainers follow the 3-second rule in training. Dogs will connect praise or correction with whatever they were doing 3 seconds before the praise or punishment occurred. Be careful to only give your dog attention when appropriate, when current behavior, not past behavior, deserves it. If your dog is growling at strangers, don’t reward the behavior by attempting to calm him. This merely reinforces that there must be something scary happening. Instead, a gentle “No,” and a friendly greeting of the stranger on your part will be more reassuring to the dog than your calming attempts.

In The Beginning

Supervise dogs closely during the first few weeks. It may help to let your dog drag a leash around in the house so you can help give him guidance with what you want. Also, if it’s a puppy, it can help you keep an eye on him. As you work with your dog, he learns the rules of your house and will look to you as his pack leader. It will be easier to correct or change bad habits in a new environment. Once the newness has worn off, if you try to change his already established habits, he can’t figure out why all the rules have changed (“Why can’t I sit on the couch?”).

Puppies can learn too, but keep training sessions short and fun, no more than 5-10 minutes at a time. Don’t be hard on your puppy when he makes a mistake. Remember the three second rule. Generally, dogs want to please you, so keep the training sessions positive. If you find yourself or your dog getting frustrated, do one last thing the dog is good at and then take a break.

Crate training is a big favor you can do for your dog. It’s his safe haven from the world. From his crate, he gets used to new sights, sounds, and people without feeling pressured to react. A crate relieves him of all that responsibility, and the opportunity to destroy the house. That’s effective management!

If he will be left alone for several hours every day, start crate training now, even if you’re just in the next room, or in the house while he’s out in the back yard. He needs to learn he has to spend time without you. A dog that gets constant attention and then is suddenly left alone for eight hours may bark, chew, or develop other behavior problems due to separation anxiety.

Make training time playtime too. Talk, laugh, and have fun with your dog as he learns to sit, down and other basic commands. Be over-exuberant with praise at first, so he knows he got it right. “Good off!,” “Good sit!,” and “Good potty!” when said with happy enthusiasm, all signal to your dog that he has made the right choice and has pleased you. “No” tells him he made a wrong choice, and he will learn the difference very quickly.