How to teach a puppy the first commands?

“To me”

The first thing a puppy must learn is to respond to the call of the owner.

At the moment when your pet is not absorbed in the game or other important business for him, clearly pronounce his nickname and command “Come to me”, holding a treat in your hand, which will be needed for encouragement.

If the puppy ignores the command or doesn’t come to you fast enough, you can crouch, hide, or head in the opposite direction. That is, to interest the puppy, so that he comes up to you out of natural curiosity.

You should not run after the dog – as it may perceive your actions as a game or a threat. It is also not recommended to give the command “Come to me” if there is no certainty that the puppy will execute it at the moment.

“play”

The puppy is taught this command together with the “Come to me” command. This combination is recommended to be repeated in different conditions and at different distances so that the dog clearly learns it.

When the puppy ran up to you after the command “Come to me” and received a treat, release him with the word “walk”. Do not put your pet on a leash so as not to reinforce negative associations. Then the puppy will happily respond to the command every time.

“Sit”

At the age of 3-4 months, the dog is already old enough to learn disciplinary commands.

“Sit” is a simple command. You can easily get your pet into the right position: lift a treat over the puppy’s head, and he will involuntarily lift his head up, lowering his back to the floor. If the dog is stubborn, you can, by giving a command, lightly press your hand on his croup. As soon as the puppy takes a sitting position, reward him with a treat and praise.

“To lie down”

This command is passed after the “Sit” command is fixed. For its development, a delicacy is also useful. Hold it in front of the puppy’s nose and wait for it to reach for the treat. Slowly lower the treat down between your front paws. If the dog does not understand what they want from it, and does not take a lying position, you can slightly press on its withers. The treat is given to the pet only after he completes the command.

“Stand”

In learning this command, not only a treat will help, but also a leash.

When the puppy is sitting, take the leash in your right hand, and put your left hand under the dog’s stomach and give the command “Stand”. Pull the leash with your right hand and gently lift the puppy with your left. When he gets up, praise him and give him a treat. Stroke your pet on the stomach so that he maintains the accepted position.

“A place”

This command is considered difficult for a puppy to master. To facilitate the learning process, place the toys on your pet’s bed. So he has fixed pleasant associations with the place allotted for him.

The difficulty of this command for the owner is to avoid the temptation to use it as a punishment. It is not necessary to send the word “place” of the offending puppy to his corner. There he should feel calm, and not worry about the discontent of the owner.

Remember that when rewarding your puppy, you should only use treats that are meant for pets. Sausage trimmings and other food from the table are categorically not suitable for this purpose.

8 2017 June

Updated: December 21, 2017