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Author: James Kronefield Article source: http://www.articlealley.com/. Used with author's permission.
Dog obedience training was probably the last thing on your mind when you first selected your puppy. As you may well know now, for that puppy to remain as adorable as when you first got him or her, a few lessons are now in order. As you might expect, dog obedience training needs to start from letting the dog know who the boss is, and to the basic of commands such a sit and sty. This article will explore the basic aspects of dog obedience training and how to accomplish them for both the dog and its owner.
Who is the pack leader?
In the eyes of a new dog owner, sometimes the phrase "Dog a man's best friend" can almost seem like a myth. Nothing can be further from the truth, but until the dog learns who the pack leader is, it may seem that way. Most dogs, once they are taught who the boss is, are only too eager to please their master.
So how does one establish him or herself as the pack leader? One of the basic ways is to exhibit your confidence and authority. This can be accomplished by both body language and behavior. Be stern with your commands without being overly aggressive. Once your dog has exhibited the correct response, praise him in a confident manner. If in the case of bad behavior, reprimand him sternly and quickly. These are basic requirements to establish you in the alpha role.
Obedience Training: Start with the most basic command!
Now that you have established yourself as the pack leader, your dog's obedience training can start with the simple command to sit. With a leash attached to the collar and held up firmly (a quick tug on the leash to get the dog's attention), state the command to sit firmly, and at the same time pushing the dog's hind side down. You should repeat this command until your dog responds without you having to push his hind quarter down. Since this is one of the easiest commands for a dog to master, praise your dog when he does it correctly. It should also be noted that your voice commands should be of a stern and consistent tone. Rinse and repeat, but give him a break, after all you yourself did not learn to walk in a day!
Sit and Stay go hand in hand.
Once your dog has mastered the sit command, it will be easy to lead into the next command which is to get your dog to stay. Standing beside your dog, command him to sit and then place your hand in front of his nose and command him to stay while walking away. It may take him awhile to get what you want him to do, but he'll eventually get it. The first few times he may want to follow you, but this is a normal reaction. A quick reprimand, then repeat the command again. In most cases, he'll quickly pick up on what you want him to do.
As you can see, basic dog obedience training is not a difficult thing to accomplish, once you establish yourself as the pack leader. Being social animals, dogs are willing and eager to please their leader; you just need to let him know who it is.
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