Basic Tips on Training Dogs at Home

Basic Tips on Training Dogs at Home - Wiggles.in

Raising a puppy is like raising a child! They have infectious energy which can melt even the most stone-hearted person. You become a pet parent and your child gets a sibling. You just can’t get enough of the snuggling, the ‘awooos’ & belly rubs.

But even in these cute moments, you are sometimes left scratching your head. How do you teach your puppy to sit? Stay? Or leave it? These are some basic commands which need to be taught to a puppy for better communication between you two. 

As a pet parent, you should teach & train your puppy to follow these basic commands

  1. Sit
  2. Come 
  3. Down
  4. Stay 
  5. Leave it

Why these commands?

These commands are considered relatively easier to teach a young puppy or a dog. With the right tips and approach, any pet parent can train their puppies or dogs at home with a lot of ease. In addition to this, these commands form the base of many advanced commands and training. So if you ever wish to take your dog’s training up a notch, you wouldn’t have to worry about the basics! 

This process of teaching these commands is referred to as “Obedience Training.” If done with the right intent & precision, this can make your puppy a gentleman or a lady! 

To teach your woofer these following commands, follow these easy tips - 

  1. Sit: One of the most common & easiest commands to teach your puppy is how to “sit.” Follow these basic steps to teach this command - 
  • Bring a treat close to your dog’s nose
  • Now move your hand in an upward direction and let your dog follow your hand
  • This will make your dog lower their bottom (they will sit)
  • Now once they are sitting, say the word “sit” & give him the treat followed by “good boy” or “good girl”
  1. Come: This command will be the most helpful in situations where your dog has gotten off the leash and run away. This command will make sure that they come back to you, no matter what. Follow these basic steps to teach this command - 
  • Make sure that your dog has a leash & a collar 
  • Gently pull the leash towards your direction followed by the word “Come”
  • Once they come, reward them with a treat followed by “good boy” or “good girl”

Please remember that for this command to be effective, you need to build a strong bond with your dog. Your relationship should be based on mutual trust & love which will ensure that they always come back to you!  

  1. Down: Teaching this position can be a little tricky as it goes against their instincts. Nevertheless, with patience & love, this can be taught easily to them. Just follow these basic steps - 
  • Hold your dog’s most favorite treat in your fist and let them sniff it
  • Once they start sniffing, lower your fist and move it to the floor level, let them follow it
  • Encourage them to lower their body and once they do it, say the word “Down” and follow it up with a treat and “good boy” or “good girl”
  1. Stay: To follow this command, make sure your dog is an expert at “Sit.” This will make it easier to teach them the “Stay” command. Follow these basic steps - 
  • Bring your dog in a sit position
  • Put a treat in front and ask them to “Stay”
  • Take 2 steps back and wait for any reaction
  • If they follow your command, reward them with the treat 
  • Don’t forget to reward even the smallest amount of obedience
  1. Leave it: This command is the test of your puppy’s ability to get better off his sniffing skills. This command will keep them safe when they start sniffing and analyzing an item that is dangerous or toxic. Follow these simple steps to teach this command - 
  • Place a treat in both the fists and let them sniff
  • Now open one fist and show them the treat followed by the command “Leave it”
  • They might try to gobble it up and will bark to get your attention, don’t budge
  • Once they stop, give them the treat
  • Repeat this process over and again to make sure that when you command them to “Leave it” they step back and wait

Some points to remember 

Always keep some treats ready for training. Make sure that you use their favorite treats only. This will keep them engaged and will yield better results. You can also use Wiggles Barkstix as a healthy treat to train them!

  • Start early. Don’t wait for your puppy to grow into a dog. The earlier you begin, the better the results are bound to be.
  • These commands need to be followed up every day until perfection is achieved. Give at least 30 minutes every day to reinforce these commands.
  • Another crucial thing to remember is that each breed is different. While some breeds may learn quickly, others might take time. Don’t lose hope or get flustered. At the end of the day, they are animals!
  • Puppies have tremendous energy. Teaching them these commands will channelize their flow. Therefore, don’t skip this part. These commands and training will remain with them for their entire life and will only make your bond stronger!

These were some easy tips to train your puppies and dogs at home.