"At a basic level, I'd say these are the 10 commands. Come, Sit, Down, Place, Stay, Heel, Kennel, Leave it, Drop it, Watch me. Success with any of these commands lies in the approach.
From there, McMillan explains his playful, positive, and kind approach, starting with his 7 Common Commands: SIT, STAY, DOWN, COME, OFF, HEEL, and NO.
Although there are many behaviors that promote safety, there are three basic commands that are especially critical: "down stay," "drop it" and "come." Not only should every dog be familiar with these behaviors, but dogs should be trained to perform them anywhere, anytime.
The instant your dog pauses, place a tasty treat (cheese, hotdogs, liver snacks) directly in front of his nose and say “quiet.” You are encouraging your dog to be quiet by coupling two incompatible behaviors—it's difficult for a dog to bark while sniffing and eating! Give a few more treats while he is quiet.
It's no surprise that 'walkies' scooped the top spot, with a dog's heart rate increasing by a whopping 36% every time they hear the phrase. Other words that make our four-legged friends the happiest include 'treat', 'get it', 'fetch' and 'get your toy'.
What is direct interactive punishment, and how does it work? If you catch your dog or cat engaging in an incorrect behavior, try a loud noise such as clapping your hands or a loud “no”. Remember, reprimands need to occur while the behavior is happening, preferably just as it begins, and never after.
Sit: The “sit” command is one of the easiest tricks your dog can learn and serves as the basis for many other simple tricks like “shake” and “stay.” To teach this trick, keep your foot on your dog's leash, allowing them only a little room to move but not enough to jump up.
Essentially, your dog wants your approval. So, rather than yelling or constantly saying “No”, quicker progress can be made by teaching your dog a 'no' signal – one that tells him to stop whatever he is doing whenever he hears it. A suitable command can be “Leave”.
The three Ds are duration, distance, and distraction, and they affect almost any behavior. Dogs don't generalize well, meaning if they learn to sit in front of you, they don't automatically know that “sit” means the same thing when you're on the other side of the room.
The ideal time to begin training is around 7 to 8 weeks for most puppies, and the most effective training involves positive reinforcement and gentle commands. This is also the age to begin socializing your puppy to new people and new species, allowing them to explore and have new experiences.
Eye contact is a show of strength among all creatures. If your dog breaks eye contact, this is a telltale sign of submission. In the wild, alphas put betas and omegas in their place with a decisive stare. If your dog breaks eye contact with you first, this is a dramatic sign of them viewing you as the alpha.
When people talk about punishment in dog training, often they mean what is technically known as positive punishment. Positive punishment means adding something to make the likelihood of a behaviour go down, such as using leash jerks, alpha rolls, or hitting the dog.
However, unlike humans, dogs do not understand the consequences of their actions, so regular punishment will be no good. Instead, you have to use negative punishment and positive reinforcement to help stop undesirable behavior.
Negative Punishment (-P): If you want your dog to repeat a behavior less frequently, remove any reward or perceived award for the behavior. This should happen rarely – focus on reinforcement. Think of positive and negative in the addition/subtraction sense.
According to Ray, the basic commands that every dog should learn (in this order) are: heel, sit, stay, and come. Heel – With the dog at knee level on your left side and the leash in your hand, start walking with your left foot first as you give the "Heel" command, using the dog's name.
Practice a minimum of 10 times per day, say the dog's name (from 2 to 6 feet away) and as soon as the dog looks at you, mark this behaviour with a marker word such as “yes” or a clicker and reward with food or play while giving lots of praise.
Always take time to cuddle with your dog, which should be easy! Daily cuddles show your pup you love them and make you both feel good! One of the best ways to show your dog love is by providing them with a quality meal or treat every once in a while.
They love to eat, sleep and run around outside. Interestingly, dogs have preferences unique to canines. Most people are not aware of these particular tastes. Dogs, like humans, enjoy certain activities, mostly related to their breed, instinct, temperament and personality.