Dogs need an apprenticeship to get along well with people. Here are some lessons on how to properly train your dog.
Lesson 1: Teaching Your Dog His Name
Many people think this step is completely unimportant, but in practice, it turns out to be a necessary step in training your dog. So you will give it a specific name by which it will recognize itself among all people. This will get his attention, and he’ll watch you closely while he waits to learn what you expect from him.
Lesson 2: You must teach your dog to sit as soon as you command it to sit.
This is the first stage of obedience. He will learn to be quiet. Once he understands that you want him to sit through simple verbal commands or specific gestures, he’s already made a lot of behavioral progress. Taking this step can also encourage you to go further and properly train your dog.
Lesson 3: Teach your dog to come closer when you signal or bark
This exercise is one of the most difficult. Really, there’s nothing more annoying than a dog forcing you to run after it when you call for it and it doesn’t come to you. He looks contrite when you scold him, but that won’t stop him from doing it again. So you’ll have to arm yourself with patience, and you’ll find him wriggling when you tell him to come to you.
Lesson 4: Teaching a Dog to Stand Still
When he has absorbed this exercise, your dog will leave you peacefully. In fact, you can take it with you anytime, anywhere. All you have to do is tell him, « Stay still. » You can rest easy knowing that he won’t move a millimeter from where you told him not to move.
Lesson 5: Teaching Your Dog to Lie Down
When your dog understands everything you want him to do by the end of this lesson, you’ll have taken a decisive step toward fully learning your favorite pet. All you have to do is combine the commands « lay down » and « stay » and your dog will begin to obediently lie down and stay still no matter where you are. You also have to teach him to join his bed: dog basket, basket or mat, and he has to know how to recognize his corner and go there when asked.
Lesson 6: Teaching your dog not to jump on people
Indeed, there’s nothing more annoying than a friend’s dog jumping on you with its dirty paws without warning. When he understands the basics of this lesson, your dog will stop aggressing against your guests, even if it’s his way of welcoming guests.
Lesson 7: Walking on Heels or Off a Leash
This is the final lesson you must teach your dog. During the latter, you’ll teach him to walk by your side without the need for a leash. When you do, you may have the best trained dog on earth.
Of course, none of this is easy to achieve. To help you out, here’s a short video with some of these lessons, and some as a bonus.