Introduction
Basic obedience training is the foundation for raising a well-behaved, happy dog. It establishes important communication and respect between owner and dog. This lesson will cover the core basic obedience commands owners should teach their dogs.
The key goals of basic obedience training are to teach the dog to respond reliably to basic commands like sit, stay, come, down, and heel. Equally important, it establishes the owner as the leader and helps the dog learn self-control. With proper repetition and positive reinforcement, a dog can learn these core skills and become a polite, obedient companion.
In this lesson, we will cover how to prepare for training, establish yourself as the pack leader, and train the watch me, sit, down, stay, come, loose leash walking, and reinforcement/troubleshooting. Mastering these building blocks provides a foundation for more advanced skills and ensures a well-adjusted dog.
Pre-Training Preparation
Before beginning your basic obedience training, you’ll need to gather the proper equipment. This includes:
- Collar – Use a flat or martingale collar that fits properly but not too tightly on your dog’s neck. Avoid prong, choke, or shock collars.
- Leash – A 4-6 foot leash is ideal for training. Use a sturdy nylon or leather leash, not a retractable leash.
- Treats – Bring small, pea-sized training treats that your dog loves. Soft, moist treats are often most motivating for dogs.
- Toys – High value toys like balls or squeaky toys can be used as rewards during training.
Make sure you have everything prepared and ready before starting the training session. It’s also important that your dog has had exercise, gone to the bathroom, and is not overly hungry or excited before beginning training.
Sources:
https://store.ezydog.com/categories/dog-training-products/
Establishing Yourself as Pack Leader
As a dog owner, it is important that you establish yourself as the leader of your “pack”. Dogs are instinctually pack animals that look to a clear hierarchy for guidance and direction. Asserting your dominance early on will help create a balanced relationship built on trust and respect.
Some tips for establishing your leadership role include:
- Require your dog to wait for permission before eating, going through doors, getting on furniture, etc. This teaches them to look to you for approval.
- Don’t let your dog demand attention or push you around. Set aside time for focused training and activities so they learn to wait patiently.
- Keep your dog off the bed and furniture, as allowing them up can promote equality.
- Discourage jumping up behavior by ignoring them until they sit calmly.
- Practice the “watch me” command to keep their focus on you.
- Maintain calm-assertive energy when giving commands and use a firm tone.
- Reward good behavior generously to reinforce your leadership role.
Establishing pack leadership early on will lead to a better behaved, more relaxed dog that sees you as the one in charge. Be patient, consistent and confident in asserting your dominance in a humane way. For more tips, check out this article from Cesar’s Way.
Watch Me Command
Getting and keeping your dog’s attention is one of the most important parts of dog training. The “Watch Me” command teaches your dog to make eye contact and focus their attention on you. This command lays the foundation for teaching most other obedience cues.
To teach Watch Me, have a treat ready in your hand to lure your dog’s focus. Say “Watch me” and hold the treat up to your eyes, then reward your dog with the treat and praise when they make eye contact. Repeat this often, gradually increasing the time your dog holds eye contact before getting the treat. Say your dog’s name first if needed to get their initial focus.
Once your dog understands Watch Me, start saying the command without showing a treat first. Use an excited voice to keep their interest. Reward with treats randomly now, not every time, to avoid your dog only paying attention when you have treats. Practice Watch Me often throughout the day during regular activities.
You want to capture and reward any instance of your dog making eye contact with you, no matter what else is going on around them. The goal is for Watch Me to become an automatic behavior where your dog snaps to attention on you even when thoroughly distracted. This forms an invaluable lifelong habit of focusing on you above anything else.
Some tips for improving Watch Me:
- Use higher-value treats to reinforce giving you their full attention.
- Gradually step up distractions, like other pets or toys around.
- Practice in short sessions to avoid your dog getting bored or unfocused.
- End each session on a positive note with praise and a treat.
A solid Watch Me command builds attentiveness, distraction control, and bonding between you and your dog. It’s an essential cue for good manners, impulse control, and responding reliably to your other obedience directions. Consistent training will make Watch Me second nature for your dog.
Sit Command
The sit command teaches your dog to sit on command. This is one of the most basic yet essential commands for any obedience training. Follow these steps to properly teach the sit command:
Start with your dog standing in front of you. Hold a treat at their nose level, then slowly raise the treat above their head and back over their shoulders in an arc. As you move the treat, say “sit” firmly. Their nose will follow the treat and their hind legs should lower into a sit position. As soon as their bottom hits the ground, praise lavishly and give the treat.
The hand signal for sit is to hold your palm flat, facing upward, slightly above the dog’s head. As you say “sit”, move your hand slightly upwards and back over their head. Pair the hand signal with the verbal cue every time to reinforce the training.
Always reward with an exciting treat immediately when your dog successfully sits. Small soft treats that can be quickly eaten work best. Slowly phase out treats over time by only rewarding intermittently. Eventually your dog will respond to just the hand signal and verbal cue.
If your dog struggles with this command, break it down into smaller steps. Start by rewarding any slight lowering of the hindquarters, then gradually shape the behavior until your dog fully sits. Only say the verbal cue once your dog begins lowering down. Patience and consistency are key.
Down Command
The down command teaches your dog to lay down on command. Follow these steps to teach it properly:
Start with your dog sitting. Hold a treat to their nose, then slowly move it down towards the floor directly in front of them while giving the verbal command “down.” As they lower their head and chest to follow the treat, praise them and give them the treat once they are fully laying down.
It’s important to move the treat straight down towards the floor. Don’t bring it out in front or to the side, as this may cause them to stand up instead of laying down. Keep your hand low and use your body position to encourage them to lay rather than sit.
Use an open palm hand signal, sweeping your hand downward towards the floor. This hand signal paired with the verbal cue will help reinforce the meaning of “down.”
Provide praise and give treats immediately once they comply with the down command. Be patient and use luring if needed in the beginning, then gradually phase out the food lure as they learn the command. Practice daily, increasing duration of the down position over time.
For reference: How to Teach Your Dog to Lie Down
Stay Command
The stay command is a critical skill that helps develop patience, impulse control, and self-discipline in your dog.According to the AKC, teaching a reliable stay is a gradual process that requires repetition and positive reinforcement. Start by asking your dog to stay for just a couple seconds, then gradually increase the duration and distance. Use an encouraging tone and provide rewards for staying put. Practice daily, increasing duration and distance. Vary the location for distraction proofing. If your dog breaks the stay, calmly return him to position and practice more.
You can teach stay by having your dog sit, using the command, then stepping back a foot at a time before returning to reward. Increase distance and duration slowly over multiple training sessions. People often make the mistake of advancing too quickly before the dog is truly ready. Go slowly and reward generously in the beginning. The goal is to develop real reliability, not just the illusion of a stay. With patience and consistency, you can teach a solid stay that gives your dog great impulse control.
Come Command
Teaching your dog to reliably come when called is one of the most important obedience commands. According to the RSPCA, you should use your dog’s name before giving the command and use an excited, happy tone to make coming to you sound fun (1). Start training in a quiet room and give your dog a reward when he comes. Increase distractions slowly. If he doesn’t come right away, walk backwards encouraging him to follow you, then reward (2). Avoid reprimanding for not coming as it can make him less likely to respond. Be patient and always reward coming to you.
Loose Leash Walking
Teaching your dog loose leash walking is essential for a well-behaved canine companion. Loose leash walking means that your dog walks by your side without pulling on the leash. To achieve this, you need to train your dog not to pull by stopping or changing directions every time they start to pull. You also need to properly handle the leash.
Decide how much leash to give your dog initially. For a 6 foot leash, you may want to keep it short, holding the loop end and letting just 1-2 feet hang loose. As your dog improves, gradually allow more slack. Always hold the loop end of the leash – holding near the dog’s collar can unintentionally teach them to pull. Keep the leash loose rather than tight so there is no tension for your dog to pull against. Do not wrap the leash around your hand as this can cause rope burns if your dog does lunge or pull suddenly.
Each time your dog starts to get ahead and pull, immediately stop walking. Stand still until the leash relaxes. If your dog returns to your side, praise them and continue walking. If they don’t return to your side, call their name and give a “let’s go” cue when they look at you, then praise and walk again. You can also turn and walk in the opposite direction when they pull. Repeat stopping or changing directions each time they pull to reinforce that pulling gets them nowhere.
Initially reward your dog with treats every few steps for loose leash walking. Over many sessions, slowly extend the time between treats as they master this skill. Vary the course you walk and practice in different locations to generalize the training. Consistency and patience will lead to a dog who walks politely on a loose leash.
Sources:
https://www.animalhumanesociety.org/resource/teach-your-dog-walk-loose-leash
https://longhaultrekkers.com/loose-leash-walking-tips/
Reinforcement & Troubleshooting
Positive reinforcement is the most effective method for dog training. Always reward your dog with treats, praise, or play when they successfully perform a command. The reward helps reinforce the desired behavior. As the ASPCA explains, “The more you reward a behavior, the more likely your dog is to repeat it” (Source).
While using positive reinforcement, you may encounter some common issues like your dog not responding to a cue or losing interest during training. Don’t get frustrated – managing setbacks is part of the training process. If your dog doesn’t perform a command correctly, go back a few steps and practice an easier skill they can successfully complete, then reward them. This will rebuild their confidence. You can also try changing the reward to make it more motivating. Be patient and keep training sessions short to avoid your dog getting bored or tired.
With regular practice using positive reinforcement, your dog will consistently and reliably respond to obedience cues. Be consistent with rewards and avoid punishing mistakes. Your dog wants to please you – with time, patience and positivity, you’ll get there!