For many years, they have been assisting individuals in training their dogs, encountering numerous recurring questions from novices in the field. A frequent inquiry is about the appropriate verbal commands to use when attempting to correct a dog’s unwanted behavior. Whether a dog is chasing a squirrel or barking at a passerby, owners often struggle with both actions and words. When a dog misbehaves, it’s common for people to become overwhelmed and blurt out a mix of commands like “Stop it, NO, leave it, come here!” This usually doesn’t help, and the dog might even perceive their owner as a sideline cheerleader.
Fortunately, living harmoniously with a dog doesn’t require extensive training. A handful of essential commands can effectively manage most situations. They recommend teaching your dog these six words: Come, Sit, Down, Heel, Out, and Quiet. With these commands, most everyday challenges can be handled with ease. For the average pet, these are sufficient.
It’s crucial to clearly define the behavior associated with each command and ensure the dog understands. Inconsistent enforcement won’t result in a well-trained dog. Here are the definitions of the six vital dog training commands:
- Come: The dog should approach and stay close enough for you to touch, waiting for further instruction.
- Sit: The dog should sit and remain seated until given another command.
- Down: The dog should lie down and not get up until told to do so.
- Heel: The dog should stay by your side, traditionally on the left, until directed otherwise.
- Out: The dog should release whatever is in its mouth.
- Quiet: The dog should stop barking or making noise.
These commands can address common issues:
- A dog running out an open door can be called back with “Come” and told to “Sit” before the door is opened next time.
- To prevent a dog from jumping on a visitor, instruct the dog to “Down” before the visitor enters.
- If a dog takes a sock, command it to “Come,” then “Out.”
- For a dog barking at the fence, use “Come,” followed by “Down,” and then “Quiet.”
- To stop a dog from pulling towards distractions during walks, use “Heel.”
Keeping training simple benefits both the owner and the dog. Dogs learn more easily with one or two word cues due to their difficulty in generalizing. While dogs can learn a vast vocabulary with time and practice, these fundamental commands are enough for effective communication for most owners.
Lastly, it’s important to have a release word, the seventh essential word, to signal to the dog that they can relax. This isn’t a command but a cue that ends the previous command. Without a release word, the dog might decide when to stop, which could undermine the training. Options include “Free,” “All Done,” “At Ease,” “Break,” or “That’ll Do.” This should be incorporated from the beginning of training to ensure the dog understands when they are no longer required to follow a command.
Happy Training!
