5 Commands All Dogs Should Know

  Posted on March 10, 2014  by joyofliving  No comments

Every dog should know some basic commands. There are five commands that are really very important and could actually be lifesaving in an emergency situation.

SIT COMMAND

The sit is a very basic command and should be taught to your dog early. Your dog should do the sit command whether or not there are distractions. Proofing your dog so that he can perform these basic exercises around distractions is very important.

DOWN COMMAND
This command is probably the most important exercise you can teach your dog. The down command is the exercise that establishes you as the master with your dog. When your dog is 20 feet away, you say down and the dog drops to the ground is the day that the dog says you are the alpha.

If a dog is taught the down command as a young dog, aggression is much less likely to occur.

STAY COMMAND
The stay command is exactly what it sounds like, the dog is sitting and you tell him to stay. Your dog should maintain that position until you give the release word.

RECALL (COME WHEN CALLED)
Another important command is the recall. It is important to work on this command repeatedly so that your dog comes to you as soon as you call.

LEAVE IT
The leave it command has many uses. One way to use this command is to keep your dog from getting into something he shouldn’t. Leave it may also be used to tell your dog to ignore something, for example, another dog when you’re out for a walk.

These are all exercises that should be taught to your dog at a young age and can be found in almost any good basic obedience class. Take the time to train your dog and you’ll have a dog that your entire family can enjoy.