7 Dog Obedience Commands Every Destructive Pup Must Learn
Is your dog uncontrollably misbehaved and tearing your house apart? Here are seven key dog obedience commands along with three key products to help protect your home and train any high, low or medium energy pup.
Moses is famous for his 10 commandments, which were said to be a covenant between him and God.
When it comes to training dogs however, there are basically 7, and God has nothing at all to do with it except for perhaps bestowing mercy via a tinge of heavenly patience upon a dog owner.
Most dogs can learn basic commands with a few 10 to 15 minute sessions each day for about a week or two.
While there are some breeds that are more amenable to training than others, most dogs can be taught to understand simple directives if given enough time, love and effort to master them.
A Few Myths About Dog Training And Obedience
The following is some information from our teams at CLAWGUARD that represents a few pitfalls to watch out for before attempting to train your beloved pet.
There Is More Than One Way To Train A Dog
While this is technically true, it is also a very slippery slope because the answer is found in the type of relationship an owner seeks with his or her pet.
Punishment may work in the short term, but it breaks an animal’s trust and its bond with it owner.
Mutual trust, love and helpful products from CLAWGUARD should be the key elements in any training agenda.
Dogs Only Respect Leaders Who Assert Their Dominance
Dogs do not need to consider a human as the alpha leader of the pack, so to speak.
They prefer instead feelings of safety, security, being loved and the establishment of a common language bond between them and their beloved owners.
This will include a training agenda which includes: rewarding good behavior with treats; redirecting bad behavior and instilling a sense of confidence in the animal.
Positive Trainers Do Not Believe In Discipline
This could not be further from the truth. Positive by no means indicates permission.
Anyone can make a dog respond using fear and punishment tactics, but in the end, trust is lost and very difficult to regain.
Negative discipline, which translates into removing something from the dog’s life that it wants such as: your attention or a favorite toy, can gently guide the dog into making the right choices.
Positive Trainers Treat Dogs Like Children
A good trainer never treats a dog like a child, for as adorable as they are, they are animals and not children, even though their brains are wired similarly in terms of processing emotions.
In fact, they cannot analyze them as humans do, but they are affected by them just as powerfully.
Recent studies indicate that most socially mature dogs have both the intelligence and ability to understand words and gestures at about the same intellectual level as a two-year-old toddler.
Positive Training Stops Working When You Stop Giving Treats
While any type of reward for dog training has to be of some value for the dog to want to earn it.
Once a dog has learned the desired behavior, treats should still be given but intermittently.
This type of reinforcement actually encourages a quick response because the possibility of a treat in the animal’s mind makes the dog want to work harder to please.
The Benefits Of Using Treats To Teach Dog Obedience Commands
Small treats are vital to maintaining a training session. A pea-size treat will suffice even for bigger dogs as even a little bit serves as a reward.
Either buy smaller ones or cut larger ones into pieces before the session begins.
Keeping treats small means fewer calories consumed and also prevents the animal from becoming satiated before the session is finished.
Soft treats are also very smelly, which dogs love. For training purposes, we recommend soft treats because they are easier and faster for dogs to consume.
Harder treats, like biscuits, take time to swallow and finding every fallen crumb distracts from training.
Use different varieties of treats because dogs can become bored with the same ones all the time.
If treats do not seem enticing, take the cue to change it, replacing it with one of equal or greater value to the dog.
The 7 Most Important Dog Obedience Commands
- SIT - Due to the fact that this is the easiest and most natural command, it is usually the first taught in a training agenda. It can be mastered in just a few sessions and its mastery assures success with other commands.
- DOWN OR LAY DOWN - This command above all others allows for complete control because a sitting dog is quiet dog It also serves as a bridge to more complicated tasks such as “play dead” or “roll over.”
- STAY - This directive is very important because it can protect a dog from danger. An animal that has been taught how to “stay” isn’t likely to run out into the street. It does however require more patience than the commands that came before it and may take up to a few weeks for the dog to master.
- COME - This is particularly important for a dog to learn if you plan to take your animal anywhere off the leash. For the dog to learn “come” after “stay” makes the process easier for the animal to master.
- HEEL - Walking with your dog will be a lot more pleasant and your arm socket will thank you for teaching your dog how to walk calmly by your side. This is of particular importance in urban areas where sidewalks are narrow, and for larger pups that are famous for pulling on the leash.
- OFF - There are several ways to get an animal to refrain from jumping on every visitor that passes through your front door. First, say “Off” and wave a treat in front of the nose to lure the dog away. When paws are back on the ground, click and give the treat. Repeat this the next 4 times the dog jumps up on an undesired place. If the dog won’t follow the treat, one of a higher value is needed so that the dog will feel that getting off and the treat are more valuable than remaining on top of counters, tables, people, etc. CLAWGUARD anti-scratching products are ideal for reinforcing this command.
- NO - This is a good all purpose command for all the things you may not want your dog to do. Call the dog over to you and show the treat in you hand. Let him sniff and lick the treat, but as he reaches for it, say“no,” and close your hand. Do this several times. When the dog gives up and backs away, wait 5 to 7 seconds and then give the treat and lots of praise.
What Are The Dog Breeds Most Amenable To Training?
While most dogs with patience and proper training can accomplish some tasks ‘there are specific breeds that are definitely more amenable to training than others.
These include: Border Collie; Standard Poodle; Labrador Retriever; German Shepherd; Doberman Pinscher; Shetland Sheepdog; Bearded Collie;Miniature Schnauzer; Havanese; Boxer; Australian Shepherd; Papillon; Bernese Mountain Dog; Border Terrier; Welsh Corgi; Pembroke Welsh; Golden Retriever; Rottweiler; Bulldog and (whew!) English Cocker Spaniel.
A Few Home Protection Products To Help Train Your Dog
The following represent a partial list of some of the products that can help reduce and even eliminate damage caused by pets in a home.
They are helpful training aids that reinforce good behavior and eliminate the possibility of negative and destructive results. They include:
Our Clawguard Heavy Duty Door Shields
Every door, exposed wall, door jam and door frame in the home can benefit from these shields, which offer protection from destructive pet claws and chew marks that are not only unsightly, but can also cause irritation to paws and damage to teeth.
These highly effective door shields are an improved version of an earlier product, and they cover a much wider expanse.
Made from a cutting edge, powerful, clear and recyclable high quality plastic, our CLAWGUARD door shields are durable, cost effective, extremely versatile. and guaranteed to protect from the claws and teeth of all our beloved dogs, big or small.
Easily installed, sustainable and reliable, these frosted, clear door shields mesh seamlessly with any home decor, couldn’t be easier to install and are made exclusively in the good old USA.
The Original Window Sill Protectors
These heavy-duty resilient window sill protectors are guaranteed to protect window surfaces for up to five years from the claws and teeth of our sometimes destructive, but always precious pets.
This warranty is assured by the fact that these products are subjected to meticulous Quality Assurance testing standards.
A sustainable construction of superior quality plastic offers top-of-the-line safety for pet paws from splinters, nails and paint chips.
These barriers also serve as a boon to the environment and the carbon footprint that we will all leave for the future generations that will inhabit planet Earth.
Our window sill protectors come in six diverse sizes, which will accommodate the size of any window sill, and they couldn’t be easier to install.
No hardware is necessary; simply peel off the liners from both sides of the window sill guard and apply the 3M Transparent Duel Lock coins that are provided with purchase.
When assembled, press coins firmly and they will snap into place, offering sealed protection.
Our Clear Adhesive Protection Tape
This transparent, single sided tape is the perfect solution to protect window sills, sofas, couches, weather stripping, baseboards and other exposed areas in the home from damage by scratching and clawing.
It is a cost-effective solution that will save costly repairs and furniture replacements. Each roll contains 4 in x 10ft of tape packaged in a dispenser.
It is a potent blend of superior quality plastic and customized adhesive that is subjected to strict Quality Assurance testing standards.
Comprised of sustainable materials that are beneficial to the environment, this tape is guaranteed to always keep your pet’s paws safe from irritation or injury.
Now. Go. And Train Dear Master Of All Things Furry!
The most important aspect of training a dog is to train yourself first — mainly to have patience with your furry friend.
In time they will learn, and always remember to protect your precious home, furniture and your beloved pets paws with our home scratch protection products!
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