Do You Want a Good Dog?

How Basic Obedience Helps You Get A Good Dog

As teachers head back to school in South Carolina this month, let’s prep for the students 🙂  While most parents are getting their children ready for back-to-school, why not remember your four-legged children as well?  If you just got a new dog, or haven’t made time to do any obedience yet, I hope this time of year triggers an urge to get them some “schooling”.  Do you want a good dog?  Then at least teach them the basics.  Basic obedience helps give them the manners you want them to have. It also helps them bond with you and your family.  But how? And Why?

How and Why Obedience Helps

1. Dogs are pack animals.  I know you’ve heard this before, and you may be tired of it.  Whether you believe it or not, you cannot deny the fact that dogs are descended from wolves, and wolves are pack animals.  Therefore, they need a pack leader.  By teaching basic obedience you are teaching them that you are the pack leader (by being in control).  You are teaching them to respect you as a pack leader because you are telling them to do something and then following through with that command.  No matter the command, or if you use treats, the concept is the same: I expect you (as the dog) to do something and I will follow through to get you to do it.
2. They cannot speak English.  I don’t care how much you think they understand your words – there is no “dog-to-human” translator.  They are forming habits when you teach them commands: they associate hearing “this” word, with the action you teach them.  So, you can use basic obedience to have them “sit” or “go to place” when visitors come instead of jumping all over them.   Why? Because they don’t understand you saying “please get down, people don’t like when you jump on them”.
3. The basic commands build on each other, building their respect for you.  That is the way we teach them at Dog Training In Your Home.  We generally start with sit/stay.  Why?  Because if you can get the dog to respect you enough to sit (on the 1st command), and then stay until you release them, then you can build on that respect.  If the dog doesn’t respect you at step 1, how can you expect them to respect you to do steps 2-10?
4. When you involve your entire family with teaching, they learn their place in the pack.  Think about it – in a natural environment, dogs will figure out who the pack leader is, and the rankings of all the other members of the pack.  Don’t believe me?  Visit a breeder who’s recently had a litter. You will see those puppies respecting their mom (their pack leader), and you will see a puppy who’s at the bottom of their totem pole.  Or, go watch dogs playing in a park or at doggie daycare – they will do the same thing.  So why would it be different in your home? The only difference: there are people involved.  But, to your dog, you are just a funny-looking dog with no fur that walks on two legs instead of four.  At Dog Training In Your Home, we involve the whole family in training as much as possible. This way your dog learns they are the not the pack leader, and the kids are above them in the hierarchy.

So, what are the basics? 

We mention these on Our Programs page, but I’ll give you some more perspective on them here:

1. Control Walking: walking nicely on a loose leash.  No pulling, no criss-crossing, no “brakes” – they need to walk with you where you want them to.  This is about safety (for you and them!), as well as teaching control.  And please, use a 5-6 foot leash – NO RETRACTABLES! Retractable leashes do NOT teach control. I have seen way to many clients with cuts or rope burns on their legs from getting tangled, then pulled.
2. Sit/Stay: sitting on the first command, and staying until you release them.  This helps teach respect, but also focus and builds their attention span.
3. Down/Stay: laying all the way down on the first command, and staying until you release them.  This is the most submissive command to teach a dog, and therefore a very important one.  Especially if you have a dominant or aggressive dog.  If my boxer is being “sassy” towards me, I will put her in a down/stay for a minute or two and she will calm down.  Which brings me to another point – this command is also like yoga for dogs – it can calm them down quickly if they are super excited.
4. Come on command: coming when you first call them.  It’s debatable that this is the most important command to teach because it could potentially save your dog’s life.  But it also can save you a big hassle every time your dog is in your yard and you are trying to get them inside 😉  They need to come when you call instead of playing the “chase game”.
5. Heel with an auto/sit: this is a focused form of walking where your dog’s shoulder stays even with your leg, and they are focused more on you than what’s going on around them.  Very helpful when in crowds, passing by another dog you don’t know, around cars, passing by a fence that has a dog behind it…you get the idea.
6. Door Way Entry.  We teach the dog to “wait” at a door and then get permission to go through.  The family members of the house get to go through first (teaching pack leadership). This also alleviates your dog darting out unexpectedly.  This command is also extremely helpful when guests come over for greetings.  Another benefit? I have transferred this command to fence gates, and (my favorite) stairs.
7. Control area “place”: going to a designated area (like a dog bed) on command.  We teach them to go on command, and stay there until you release them (do you sense a theme here?). Very helpful when guests come over, cooking in the kitchen (keep them out from under your feet!), and eating at the table (no begging!).

We also incorporate hand signals for all our commands and include problem solving as part of our programs.

Need help teaching the basic commands?  Or do you want to expand your dog’s obedience skills?  

Call today: 843-360-6033 FIRST VISIT FREE!

Any age, Any breed; Veterinarian Recommended

Yes, I want someone to contact me to set up a FREE evaluation