Four Basic commands to teach your dog

​Owning a dog is one of the most enjoyable, rewarding, and exciting things you could ever wish for.  When you own a dog, you don’t just own a pet, you expand your family and find a companion to share your life with and go on all kinds of adventures with.  Whether you raise your dog from a puppy or adopt him later on in his life, having a well-trained dog that knows and responds to all manners of different commands can make life so much easier for the both of you.
 
If you’re looking to train your dog here’s a look at 4 basic commands you should teach him or her:
 
Sit
 
First and foremost, this is almost certainly one of the most common basic commands for your dog and it is one of the easiest to teach them as well.  When you tell a dog to “sit” you’re instructing them to do exactly that on command. Because it is a one syllable word that is short and concise, your doggy will also hear and understand it perfectly.  Tell your dog to sit, repeat the command until they do, and when they do, reward them with a treat and plenty of positive reinforcement.  Before you know it, your dog will be sitting on command.
 
Stay
 
Another very simple but effective command to teach your dog is “stay”.  Just like “sit” this is a simple command for your dog to hear and understand.  Again, one of the best ways to teach your dog to stay is to repeat the command after telling them to sit. If they move and try to follow, start over until they remain seated.  As before, one of the best ways to encourage them to stay and to learn quicker is to reward them with treats and a great deal of positive reinforcement.
 
Come
 
Another very important basic command you should teach your dog as soon as you can, is to come.  The key to making this command a success and getting them to master it as quickly as possible is to ideally start teaching them from a young age. Now, you can train a dog at any age usually, but as a pup, they will learn much quicker.  The reason it is easier for puppies to learn this command is because they prefer to follow their owners around anyways.  This command is best taught with somebody else present, as you should get your dog to sit, and have the other person kneel down and gently hold the pup and prevent them from trying to race to you.  Take a few steps away and then enthusiastically use their name, followed by the command ‘come’. You could even motion with your arms and perhaps slap your thighs.  Once they come to you, it’s time for plenty of nose boops and tasty treats as a reward!
 
Lay down
 
Finally, this command is useful for times when you want a break from playing, or for when your woofer is too tired and needs a break.  Try holding a treat in your hand and then placing your hand flat on the ground with the treat trapped underneath. To get to the treat, eventually your dog will lie down.  As soon as your dog lays down, give them the treat and plenty of fuss and repeat as necessary.  Eventually, your dog will lie down on command without the need for a treat.