Dog Training Tip #6 Recall

The sixth dog training tip is recall. Recall is used in obedience during dog shows. To train your dog recall follow the instructions below.
1. Tell your dog to sit.
2. Tell your dog to stay.
3. Tell your dog come or front. The dog needs to be completely in front of you. He must be facing you and come right up to your feet.
4. Then tell your dog to heel or finish. The dog needs to walk around you and sit by your right side. He should be facing the same direction as you and his paws  must be aligned with your feet.

Dog Training Tip # 5 Down

Dog training tip number five is "Down".
I had such a hard time teaching Roxy this. There are a couple of different ways to teach your dog this command. You may choose which one works best for you and your dog. You should practice the down command 5 times in a row for 5 days or until he learns it.
#1:
1.Make your dog sit.
2. Sit down on the left side of your dog.
3. Put two fingers of your left hand(palm facing you) through his collar.
4.Put a treat in your right hand.
5.Show him the treat and lower it in front of your dog as you apply gentle downward pressure on the collar.
6. If your dog goes down tell him firmly "DOWN!"

#2 (This one worked for Roxy)
1. Make your dog sit.
2. Stand in front of your dog.
3.Put a treat in your hand.
4. Bring your hand down fast in front of your dog tapping his nose gently.
5. If he goes down, tell him "DOWN!" firmly.
6. With this method of training down you can use a hand signal of raising your hand in the air and your dog will go down without you having to say the command.

#3
1. Make your dog sit.
2. Get down to your dog level.
4. Have a treat in your hand.
5. Bring the treat out in front of him.
6. If he goes down, give him the command "Down" and praise.

#4
1. Make your dog sit.
2. Get down to your dog's level.
3. Pull his paw out gently, some dogs will lay down right away when you do this.
4.Give him the command if he goes down and praise.

If you plan on showing your dog, you will have to get him to go down and stay for a certain amount of time. In 4-H it is 3 minutes for beginners, 5 minutes for more advanced. The owners also will have to down their dogs,leave the ring and the dog is not allowed to get up. You can slowly increase the time as your dog is learning.

Dog Training Tip #4 Come

Dog training tip number 4 is the "Come" command. This another useful command. When you want your dog to come with you all you will have to say is "Come!". Come is an obedience command along with sit and stay. Your dog needs to know sit and stay before learning come.
Simple steps to training your dog the "Come" command:
1. Tell your dog to sit.
2. Tell your dog to stay.
3. Call your dog's name in an excited voice. Example: "Roxy! Come!"
4. Your dog should come running over to you.
5. Make him sit in front of you after he's come and give him a treat.
6. Repeat the steps until the dog come's on command.

Dog Training Tip #3- Stay

The command "Stay" can be useful at times. It can keep your dog out of danger.  An example, if he wanted to chase something in the street, all you have to say is stay and he won't move.
Stay is used in the Obedience classes at dog shows along with the command sit.
Your dog must learn the command sit before learning stay (see dog training tip #1).

Simple steps to training your dog the command stay:
1. Tell your dog to sit.
2. Then stand directly in front of him and tell him firmly "STAY". You can also use a hand signal like putting your palm out towards him.
3.Wait for about 1-2 seconds and then praise him and say "Good boy stay!"
4. Then, make the dog stay for about 3-4 seconds and so on. For 4-H Roxy has to stay in sit for 1 minute and down for 3 minutes. Take it slowly.
5. As you make him stay longer, walk a little bit further away from him.
6. If your dog gets up during the process without your release say "no-no" or "ah-ah". Do not praise and put him back into the position immediately so that way he knows that you don't want him to move.
7. As your dog gets more advanced at stay you can add distractions. Throw some treats in front of him, call his name, have other people call his name, or throw his ball. You can take him to new locations and make him stay. You must make it clear he may not get up without your permission.
8. Eventually keep adding to the distance. Then completly leave your dog and tell him to stay for however long you want him to. When you return to the room you left him in, he should still be staying.
9. Always make sure that training is fun for the dog. If he feels like he's being punished, he won't want to listen anymore. You want to be firm, but very rewarding.

Dog Training Tip #2 Getting Your Dog to Look at You

When  training your dog, you always want them paying attention to you. While showing your dog, judges like to see that your dog is paying attention to you and only you. While you are heeling your dog in a show, he should be looking at you constantly. He shouldn't be sniffing the ground, trying to go to the bathroom, or trying to chase the rabbit in the corner of the yard. You should be the dog's main focus area.

Simple steps to getting your dog to look at you:
1. Call your dogs name and whenever he looks at you say "Good boy!" and give him a treat. Everytime he looks at you say "Look" or "Look at me".
2. If calling his name doesn't work, use a treat and put it up to your face so that he looks at you. Say "Good boy look!" and praise.
3. You can also give him the quick snap of his choke chain so that he looks up at you. Say "Good boy look!" Praise and treat.

If he wants to keep sniffing the ground make a loud noise to try and get him to look up.

Dog Training Tip #1 Sit

Dog Training Tip #1 is the command "Sit."   Sit is the easiest to train and should be taught first. Every dog is able to learn (old and young). Every dog learns in a different way, however here are some tips to teach your dog how to sit.

How to train your big dog to sit:
1. Say your dog's name to get his or her attention.
2. Stand in front of your dog.
3. Hold your hand with the treat inside of it over the dog's head.
4. While the dog is looking at the treat, gently push his bottom down with your other hand.
5. When you get him into the sitting position give a firm command and say "SIT".
6. When your dog is in the sitting position reward him with food and love. Give him lots of praise so that he will want to do it again.
7. Repeat the last 6 steps until your dog sits when told.
If your dog jumps up on you for the treat, give a firm "NO" and do not reward for the jumping. Only reward your dog when he is doing what you want him to do. Dogs always want to please their owners and will be happy to do good.

How to train your small dog to sit:
1. Kneel down on the ground in front of your dog.
2. Say his name to get his attention.
3. Hold your hand with the treat inside of it over his head.
4. While the dog is looking at the treat gently push his bottom down with your other hand.
5. When he is in the sitting position give a firm command and say "SIT".
6. Praise the dog when he is in the sitting position with food, an excited tone, and lots of love. Give him tons of praise.
7. Repeat the last 6 steps until your dog sits when he is told.

Training your dog is a great way to bond with him. Dogs love to be trained!