Might not be easy to train might nonetheless be quite adept at
figuring out how to open kitchen cabinets or to escape from the yard.
Novice dog owners need to consider a dog's trainability as well as its
energy level, exercise requirements, and other factors before
choosing a new pet. Very high intelligence is not necessarily a good
thing in a companion dog, as smart dogs can require extensive daily
mental stimulation if they are not to become bored and destructive.
No breed is impossible to obedience train, but novice owners might
find training some breeds quite difficult. The capacity to learn basic
obedience—and even complicated behavior—is inherent in all dogs.
Owners may need to be more patient, or creative, or both, with some
breeds than with others. Owners should also be aware that they
should never comfort a scared or nervous dog because, according
dog psychology and Cesar Millan, this is telling the dog it is ok to be
scared/nervous and this is the response you want from them in
response to that stimuli.
Commands
The specific command word is not important, but consistency in usage
is. There are certain commands that are accepted as standard and
commonly used.
Basic commands
Sit: The dog is in a sitting position.
Down: A dog is typically down when its elbows (front feet) and
hocks (rear legs) are touching the ground or floor.
Heel: The dog's head or shoulder is parallel to the handler's leg on
the left side of the handler.
Come or Here: (referred to as the recall) "Call your dog" equals
"come" or "here".
Stay: The dog must remain in the position (sit, down, stand) and
location under which the command was given until it is released by the
handler.
Advanced commands
Stop – a dog that will simply stop whatever it is doing and lie down
on command no matter how far it is from its keeper is a dog that can
be taken anywhere.
Back up – keepers of large dogs or dogs with a reputation for
aggressiveness can make strangers more comfortable by teaching the
dog to back up on command.
Growl – the inverse of backing up. Some owners teach non-
aggressive dogs to growl on a subtle command – not the word growl,
usually a small hand gesture – as a way of letting strangers know that
you and your dog value being left alone.
Shake - Directs the dog to shake whole body. Generally used after
bathing or swimming to prevent dog from soaking owner.
Shake Hands or Shake - Directs dog to lift paw and place it in the
hand of the owner as if shaking hands.
Steady – keep near by. The dog can walk free, but not dash off.
Stand – dog stands still. Useful for grooming. Many dogs are
groomed frequently and need to stand quietly during the process.
Go to bed, kennel, or get in: Directs the dog to go to its bed or its
crate and to remain there until released. The dog has freedom of
movement in that location to stand up, turn around, or lie down, unlike
when placed in a Stay. Useful to keep a dog out from underfoot and
safe in a busy or complicated situation.
Drop or drop it: Dogs pick up all sorts of things, some of which
they shouldn't have. A dog that drops anything on command, no
matter how attractive (and "attractive" to a dog can be "rotten and
smelly" to a human), is a dog under control that the owner can
prevent from eating dangerous items or from destroying valued
personal property.
Leave it: An adjunct to Drop, directing the dog to not touch an
item. Also useful before the dog has picked anything up. Leave it is
also used in conjunction with Take it.
Take it: The dog leaves a desired object, such as a toy or treat,
untouched until given this command. Alternatively, the dog takes and
holds an object which it has no interest in. This can protect an
owner's, visitor's, or child's fingers.
Give: The dog has an object in its mouth and "gives" it to its owner
by releasing the object into the owner's hand. Object of choice in
training is usually a light-weight dumbbell or a glove. This is useful for
when your dog has one of your belongings and you want it back
before the dog hides it or chews it up.
Speak: A dog, when taught this command, will bark once (or more)
when told to do so.
Roll Over: When taught this command a dog will lie down, roll over,
and stand back up.
Attack: A dog will attack something (or someone) when told to do
so. Common commands are either "Attack" or "Sic'em".
Fetch: A dog will retrieve a thrown object (usually a ball or a stick)
and bring it back to the one who threw it.
Place : The dog is trained to go to a certain place and stay there
until released, usually a place in the house selected by owner.
With me: used when walking your dog to keep them at your side
and with your pace.
