Sit

• Be ready with your dog favorite treat.
• Stand facing your dog.
• Holding the treat in front of your dog's nose, move the treat up toward the top of his head high enough that he can just barely reach it.
• If your dog lift his front feet off the ground, your holding the treat to high.
• When your dog lift his head and shoulders to get the treat, his bottom should go down.
• As soon as your dog is in the sit position, praise him by saying "Sit. Good boy, sit". Hug him and give him a treat.

Come (try this for any age dog)

• Have a friend help you.
• You can use treat if you like or just lots of enthusiasm.
• Leave your leashed dog with your friend and you walk about 10 feets away.
• Your friend should hold on to your dog until you say "(name), come". As soon as you say "come", your dog will run to you letting the leash drag behind him.
• When he arrives, reward him with the treat or hugs and kisses or both.
• Repeat this several times over many days. You can stay at a distance of ten feet and gradually move farther away.

Stay

A dog can learn to stay in any position. In order to do that, he must be taught to stay in each of those positions.

• Have your dog sit, make sure he is sitting confortably.
• Stant to his right, put the palm of your hand in front of his face and say "Stay".
• Step away using your right foot. You should always leave your dog using your right foot.
• Take only one or two steps, turn around and stand right infront of your dog. You may repeat the word "Stay" a couple of time. Wait just a few seconds and then return to your dog's side.
• When you finish, say "okay". Get your dog to move and give him a big hug and a kiss. Really prise him!
• Do this several times over the next few days. When your dog seems steady, you can increase the distance, but only a little at a time.
• You may practice your "stay" from a down or standing position by following this steps.
• If you want to give your dog a treat, give him small pieces while he is in the "Stay" posiiton. Don't feed him after he moves, or he will have trouble staying while he is waiting for the treat.

Tip!

• If your dog make a mistake and moves... Great! Now you have the cance to show him that stay means: Don't move.
• Just smile yourself for the opportunity and return him to the same position. Say "Stay". This time stant closer to your dog and wait jus a few seconds. Then be sure to prise your smart dog. Happy training.
• Never, never yell at your dog for moving before you say okay. Your dog is not being bad. He is just lerning.

Lay Down

• Have your dog Sit
• Let your dog sniff a treat you're holeding, but don't let him have it.
• Lower the treat to the floor, and as you doing that, your dog should follow it down.
• Be sure to say "Down" as your dog begins to lower himself.
• Your dog should lower himself all the way to the floor.
• Only give him the treat once he is on the floor. Repeat the word "Down" many times: Say "good boy, down. Down you good boy, you're down" etc...
• Practice this several timeas during the day and over several days.

Tip!

• After your dog has learned the command "Down", you can practice it with the "Stay ".

Wait

Wait is a lot like stay, only your dog doesn't have to be still. Wait means: don't go past a certain point.

You might use wait if you want your dog to stay in the kitchen while you go to the living room. With the wait command, your can move anywhere in the kitchen, but cannot leave.

• A little bit at a time, start back up farther away from the door.
• If your dog tries to come through the doorway, walk back to the door, with him in the kitchen and repeat "wait"
• Stay close to the door until you feel he understands; then backup a couple of steps. If he does that well, then you can back up more.
• Remember, these steps should be done over several days. Don't expect your dog to learn it the firs day.

Leash Walking

• When puppies:
  • Start by attaching a light-weight leash to you puppy's collar.
  • Drop the leash and let your puppy drag it around.
  • Call your puppy, tell him "Good boy", hug her, and pet her... whatever feels good to both of you. The Idea is to make him feel confortable with th leash.
  • Leave the leash on for only a few minutes and never leave it on her when you are not with her.
  • Do this several times over a few days and pretty soon your pup won't eve notice the leash.
• Walking on a Leash:
  • You need a 4 foot leash and a collar that won't slip off.
  • Start by having your dog sit on your left side facing front just like you.
  • As you say "let's go", take a step starting with your left foot. Using the left foot all the time will signal your dog that you are about to walk. Remember that th right foot it's use with the "Stay" command.
  • Walk at your normal walking pace and talk to your dog while your walk. Tell him what a good boy he is. You want him to be happy while walking with you. Make it fun.
  • Go a few feet, then stop. You can praise him now. Or you can have him sit and the praise him... as long as he stay with you

Better Go Now

• Starting when you first get your pup or dog, every time your eliminates outside where you want him to, say "Better go now" or "go now"
• If you say it every time he goes, he will eventually associate going to the bathroom with the words, "better go now". Later you can say it and he will.
• Be sure your always prise your dog every time he goes, if it is at the right time in the right place.

Off

The word "Off" is used when you want to get your dog's feet off of something, like furniture, the fence, or someone's body.

First, get your dog or puppy to put his front feet up your lap. Praise and pet him. Shortly after, say "Off" in a firm, but gentle voice. If he doesn't get off, you can stand up. Be sure you say "Off" as you stand up.

Stand or Stand Up

• If your dog is lying down, gently slide your hand under his belly until he starts to stand up. As soon as he starts to move, say "Stand" and tell him what a good boy he is. Tell him "good boy, stand", "what a nice stand", etc. The idea is to use the word "Stand" many times.
• If your dog is sitting, you can slide your hand under his belly like above, or you can start by facin your dog, holding a treat in your hand. As you step back, your dog will most likely stand up to try to reach the treat. As he does, say "Stand", praise him and tell him what a good boy he is.
• You may need to keep your hand under your dog's belly until he is standing up and steady.

Tip!

After your dog learn the "Stand" command you can practice the "Stay" command from the stand position.

Don't Touch

"Don't Touch" is one of the most importan things you can teach your dog.

It could save your dog from eating something that could hurt him.

• First find 2 treats that you dog likes. Then take the treats and your dog over to a place on the floor or to a low table like a coffe table.
• Put one treat in your pocket and set the other on the floor or table right in fron of your dog's nose.
• As you set it down, you'll notice that your dog is staring at it and drooling. As you set it down, say, "Dooonnn't touch" very slowly and firmly, but in a normal voice. Keep your hand right there. If your dog leans in to get it, just cover it with your hand and repeat, "Don't touch".
• Wait just a few seconds, then grab the treat and praise your dog wildly telling him what a good boy he is. Then, give him the second treat you have brought as reward. NEVER give him the treat he is learning on
• Repeat this game several times a day, just for a few minutes. As your dog starts to understand what "Don't touch" means, you may begin to move your hand away just a little bit farther each time.

Eventually, you should be able to leave a treat on a table, sit in your chair, and be able to trust that your dog will leave it alone.

Watch Me

Teaching your dog to pay attention to you is very important. If you can get your dog to ignore things around him and focus on you, it will be much easier to teach him things. Teach "Watch Me" just like you would any other command or trick. If you spend time teaching your dog to pay attention now, he will be much better student for other commands later.

Here's how:

• Be ready with a small piece of treat. Put it in your pocket or some place your dog can't see it.
• Stand or sit facing your dog.
• As soon as he looks right at your face, quickly tell him "watch me!" and give him a treat. Then say, "good boy!"