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How to Teach Your Puppy The 5 Basic Commands

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Training takes lots of time, practice, and effort. Your puppy may get the hang of training on the first try…or they may get a little distracted. Either way, if you place enough patience and effort in training, your puppy will learn. They’ll also form a wonderful bond with you! Along with their name, the best […]

Training takes lots of time, practice, and effort. Your puppy may get the hang of training on the first try…or they may get a little distracted. Either way, if you place enough patience and effort in training, your puppy will learn. They’ll also form a wonderful bond with you! Along with their name, the best training lesson you can teach them are the 5 basic commands. These include “come”, “lay down”, “sit”, “stay”, and “leave it.” These 5 tricks may not seem like much, but they provide your pup with a foundation that sets them toward a good path for adulthood. By teaching your cuddly bestie these commands, they will learn how to obey you and express self-control from a young age. This lets you enjoy trips outside and guests inside your home.

Here’s how you can teach your puppy the 5 basic commands.

1. Come

The command “come” or “come here!” is an important command to teach your puppy! When you teach your puppy to come to you, you’ll find it easy to take out on walks or to the dog park as they’re less likely to bolt or run off. To teach the puppy this command, put a collar and leash on your puppy. Guide your puppy with the leash and say “come” when your pup walks towards you. Give your puppy a yummy treat only when they walk to you. Repeat this lesson a few times. Once your puppy gets the hang of it, make it hard by taking off the leash and repeating the lesson. 

2. Down

A difficult lesson for puppies to learn, the command “stay down” shows your puppy to have self-control over their actions. Puppies love to jump for joy whenever they’re excited. With the right methods and routines, you can teach your pup this trick within a few hours. Just hold out a delicious treat that they love and hold it in your hand. Let your puppy sniff your hand with the treat. This will definitely perk up their interest in what you have to say. Place your hand on the floor, and make sure your puppy follows it. Your pup should lower their entire body to the floor. If not, slide your hand until they do. When your puppy lies completely down, say “down” firmly and give them the treat. This command will take a few tries before your pup masters it. Be patient in every step of the process.

3. Sit

“Sit” is one of the easiest commands to teach your puppy. To teach your puppy this useful trick, follow the next steps in order: 

  1. Kneel in front of your puppy while holding a treat.
  2. Move your hand with the treat so your puppy follows it.
  3. Place your hand on their backside to encourage them to sit down. 
  4. When your puppy sits completely down, say “sit” in a firm voice.
  5. Give them a treat. 

Although it’s an easy command, you must practice it a few times a day. Your puppy will likely learn this within a few hours and even day if you continue.

4. Stay 

When your dog knows how to “sit,” you can also quickly teach them to “stay.” Start by commanding your dog to sit. Make sure your puppy knows that you have a treat in their hand. Hold up your palm to their face and say “stay.” Give them a treat when they stay put. You can always make this training harder by increasing the distance between you and your puppy. Give your puppy a reward every time they stay as you increase your steps. Along with obedience, this command also teaches your puppy how to be patient and control themselves.

5. Leave It

If you have a curious puppy, teaching them the command “leave it” is perfect for self-control. Hold out a treat between your index finger and thumb. Show the treat to your puppy so they know you have it. Say the command “leave it” and close your hand into a fist. Ignore your puppy if they try to get the treat in your hand. When they stop their behavior and sit down, give them the reward. Practice this a few times until your puppy obeys when you say “leave it.”

No matter what commands you teach your puppy, make sure you’re consistent, calm, and patient the entire time. Your puppy is young but very smart so they’ll definitely learn the command sooner than later. When your puppy responds to your command, always give them a reward in the form of treats. This allows your pup to associate the commend with something positive, which means they’ll follow along with training. You can also rub their bellies and give them praise too!