Basic Obedience Work

Here are a few commands to work on with your puppy.  Sit, down, stay, and heel.

To get your dog to sit, hold the treat above his head until he sits to look at it. Say “sit.”

To get a down, have your dog follow the treat enclosed in your hand down to the floor, his body should gradually move downward in order to be on level with the treat. Say “down.”

To heel, hold the leash in your right hand and a handful of treats in the left hand.  Dog should be on your left and by your knee.  Say “forward” to begin, then say “heel” as your dog walks by your side.  Treats should be held directly in front of your dog’s nose.  Reward with verbal compliments as you treat like “good dog”  or “yes.”  Treat frequently while walking with dog.

To work on stay, get your dog to sit on your left, say stay, hold hand like a stop sign in front of dog’s nose, the pivot out on your right foot, facing dog, then move back and reward dog.  Give a release word like “free” to release from the stay.