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.
The first things a puppy needs to learn are basic manners, his name, potty training, and not to bite your hands with those sharp teeth. A puppy needs to learn socialization skills, including people, places, and things.
Fetch. Fetch is another one of the absolute easiest tricks to teach your pup because, odds are, you play fetch already. It can't even really be classed as training as dogs seem to naturally know how to play fetch. This is probably due to their natural inclination to chase, and their willingness to please you!
More specifically, a well-behaved pup should respond to seven directions in order to become a good canine citizen: Sit, Down, Stay, Come, Heel, Off, and No.
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.
Sit. Teaching your dog to sit is one of the most basic dog commands to teach your pup, thus making it a great one to start with. A dog who knows the “Sit” command will be much calmer and easier to control than dogs who aren't taught this simple command.
Puppies have very sensitive hearing so sounds can frighten them. During your puppy's first week with you, introduce them to sounds such as a hairdryer, doorbell, music, and vacuuming. Make sure this experience is a positive one by playing with your puppy or providing a food reward.
Teach your puppy basic commands like sit, stay, and down. Train the recall cue as soon as possible. You will also need to teach manners, like not to jump up, not to bark excessively, and not to bite (many puppies are especially mouthy between 12 to 16 weeks old).
Olfaction is a puppy's only major sense for the first few weeks of life. Puppies must find their siblings, mom and milk by using smell, not with vision or hearing. A large part of the puppy brain called the olfactory bulb is much larger and more developed than that of people.
The most challenging time of raising a puppy is the adolescent period. Dogs become “teenagers” and seem to forget everything they have ever been taught. This period is individual to each dog, but it may begin when he's about eight months old and continue until he's two years old.
Call your dog over and let him see the treat in your hand. As you close your hand, say "No!". Let him lick and sniff, but do not give him the treat. When he finally gives up and backs away, praise him and give him the treat.
Arguably the most important command to teach your dog, “stay” will come in handy daily. For their safety and the safety of others, “stay” needs to be taught at an early age. To teach it, have your dog start by sitting. Then slowly back away from your dog.
Shake hands (or a paw shake!) is a popular dog trick and is usually the first trick most people teach their dogs. This is an easy trick to teach and most dogs pick it up really quickly.
It's imperative to keep in mind the four stages of learning: acquisition, fluency, generalization and maintenance. First, the dog has to begin to acquire the skill of focusing on you (the behavior). Then, you continue to practice so that the behavior is fluent and occurring regularly.
The quick, intense lessons will help your dog learn, and sticking with just one command or behavior will help the dog stay focused. You can train them on more than one command in a day but try to stick to just one for each session.
Puppies can begin very simple training starting as soon as they come home, usually around 8 weeks old. Always keep training sessions brief—just five to 10 minutes—and always end on a positive note.