Basic Puppy Training Commands Every Dog Should Learn

For most new dog owners, the mere thought of having to house train your dog and teach him all kinds of puppy training commands can be pretty overwhelming in itself. However, you don’t really need to go through all that unless you plan on turning your pup into a show dog.

The truth is that you will survive quite well by just teaching your dog two basic commands — leave it and drop it. With these puppy training commands, you will not only be able to have a good relationship with your dog but be able to save him from a lot of potentially dangerous situations as well.

Leave

This command is very effective for telling your dog to not pick up various items that can turn out to be dirty or poisonous while you are taking him for a walk outside the house.

Teaching this command is not as difficult as you might initially think either. When you are walking your dog on a leash and he starts to pick up an object on the floor, tug on the leash gently while saying the command, ‘Leave’.

You can actually place items strategically on the path that you plan to take beforehand so you can be sure that there will be temptations to use for training your puppy. Good objects to use are food and toys that you know will attract your dog’s attention. Each time your dog obeys your puppy training commands, it is important that you give him encouragement by using praise words or treats. This will make him learn the commands all that much faster.

Drop

Another important command to teach, this will again be able to save your dog from potential danger, as well as save your possessions from being needlessly chewed on. Each time your pup picks up something that he is not supposed to, say ‘Drop’ in a firm tone until he releases the object.

If your dog runs off instead of obeying your command, do not chase after it because he will assume that you want to play with him. What you should do instead is attract his attention by holding a tasty treat. Say your puppy training commands again and give him the treat only when he does drop the object.

Most dog owners are pleasantly surprised at how easy it is to teach young pups these two basic puppy training commands. After just a few days of starting your training, your dog will already be able to master these commands.