Dog Training Simple Commands Are the Best

When you are doing dog training simple commands are the best kinds to use. They are easier for puppies and dogs to understand. This concept is generally taught in an obedience training class, but it can take some time to get the hang of doing this.

For example, instead of just saying "sit" when that is what they want their dog to do, often people will repeat the command two or three times. Or they may go into a little speech like "Sit... I said sit.... you did it yesterday, come on, now!" This does not really get the obedience training any further down the road.

The purpose in sticking to simple, short words for commands is to help the pet develop a habit of recognizing and responding. Canine behavior has a lot of habitual aspects to it -- as does human behavior, come to think of it! When your dog training is based on using simple words that you repeat once per request, this is easier for the animal than if it has to guess at your meaning as you chatter away.

We do all know that dogs are prone to noticing words they recognize when you are talking with another person. Let's say that you ask your partner, "Honey, would you mind taking Buddy for his walk? I'm so tired!" Chances are high that Buddy's tail will start wagging as he hears his own name and that word dogs love so much, "walk."

So use one-word, easily pronounced commands -- which, by the way, are also sometimes called cue words. That expression gets away from the idea that you have to be the boss and the dog has to obey! While there are certainly times that do call for obedience, such as when you need the dog to come rather than go into the street, by and large the best dog training evokes willing compliance from the dog.

When you are teaching your new puppy, do use simple terms like come, sit, stay, and down. These are time-tested training commands that work well.

Incidentally, an all-too-common puppy behavior is to jump up on people. You will want a command to stop your dog from doing that. Since "down" means "go down to the floor," that isn't exactly what you need. A better word here is "Off!"

About the Author

Interested in knowing more about using dog training simple commands? Visit Rosana Hart's website for many easy-to-use dog training ideas.