How do you train your dogs to sit still and behave properly? The basis for all dog training is emphasizing their good behavior with praise and reward (in other words, a treat to eat!). A treat given as a reward will make him eager to repeat the command. The simple commands that every dog should know are sit, down, stay, and come. There are many more commands, but these are the basic ones and are very useful for daily life.
SIT
Hold the treat (food) directly above the dogs head. As he looks up at it, his head will tilt back, and his hind legs will fold under him, causing him to sit naturally. As his legs begin to bend, say ‘Sit.’ Once the command is learnt, reduce the food reward, and keep on praising the dog (‘Good, sit!’) as he sits obediently.
DOWN
This is a particularly useful dog behavior at times when you want your pet to stay put somewhere for quite a while. While the dog is in the ‘sit’ position, hold a treat near its nose and move the treat downward. As his nose follows the treat, move your hand forward in front of his face. As he starts to lower himself, give the command: ‘Down.’ Move your hand farther down and forward until the dog is fully lying down. Immediately praise him with: ‘Good, down!’ Reward him with the treat.
STAY
This is basically what you want the dog to do with both the sit and the down commands. For the ‘stay’ command, a short leash is needed, so that the dog is aware of your control. When your dog is in the ‘sit’ or ‘down’ position, say ‘stay’. Reinforce this by showing your palm to the dog. Move a step away while maintaining eye contact. After a brief pause, reward the dog with praise and treat for staying in position. Repeat the exercise, gradually increasing the length of the pause. If the dog breaks the stay, make him sit and repeat the exercise with a shorter pause before giving the treat. Once the dog masters this, use a longer, slack leash to maintain control and gradually move farther away as the dog remains in the "stay" position.
COME
It is obvious why you need to train your dog to come. Before learning this, the dog should know how to sit and stay already. Stand near your dog so he can smell the treat in your hand, call him by name and say, ‘come!’ Give the treat once he comes. Make your distance apart greater as you continue.
