7 essential basic commands for your dog
Sit! Down! Off! Heel! – these are the best known and certainly the most important commands. But this alone is not enough. An experienced dog owner has the right command for every situation, on whose execution he can rely. Here we would like to introduce you to 7 important commands, which you can best teach and demand verbally and with an always identical hand signal.
1. Sit!
The puppy learns this command almost playfully. Hold a treat above his head and say the command. At the same time you raise your index finger, which is also later – without a treat in your hand, the clear request to sit. Start the training in a distraction-free environment, for example at home.
3. Come Here!
In the course of a dog’s life, this command is of primary importance. The best way to train it is to call “here” every time your puppy approaches you. An open body posture is the best invitation, which you can support with a treat, especially in the beginning trainings.
4. Stay!
If your dog is sitting or lying down, this is the optimal time for this command. You raise the flat of your hand in his direction and take a few steps back. If he stays sitting (or lying down), you call him to you with “here”. To train a safe wait, you need a resolution signal. The dog remains on the spot until, for example, you approach him and say “okay”.
5. No!
This command is unfortunately often neglected and replaced by the command “off”. But we think it is important to have two differentiated instructions. “No” means, for example, that your dog must not pick up the treat (or a discarded bread) on the way. You teach him this command by releasing the treat when your dog is unexcited and disinterested.
6. Off!
The command is used to stop an action of your dog immediately. On “off” he must drop something he has picked up. He must stop a game, stop barking, and in other situations he must stop immediately and turn his attention to you.
7. Heel!
For a relaxed walk, it is important that your dog does not pull on the leash and leads the way. Train this command on a short lead and start in a calm environment. As the difficulty increases, your four-legged friend will learn to walk with his head next to your knee without any other prompting.
