Obedience Training
I'm including some tips of basic training of your puppy. If you don't have the patience
or the time, you may want to consider a training service. Understand, they will STILL want
to work with you, but will start your puppy with basic commands and then transfer those
behaviors while you are in charge.
The basic commands are: sit, stay, come, heel, and down/stay. The last of these is
crucial. We had a friend whose dog ran out of the front door to chase a cat into the street.
As soon as they shouted, "DOWN STAY!", the dog stopped dead in her tracks and lay down
in the front lawn. It saved her life.
You may choose to perform these commands in English or your native language, OR use German or Dutch commands if you want to get fancy. Whatever language you choose, stay CONSISTENT. With the exception of DOWN/STAY, use one word commands. Dogs are smart, but they get confused when you change terms or give them too many words at once.
When training, buy a training clicker, a doggy-treat fanny pack, and training treats. Remember, make the sessions FUN! They shouldn't last more then 10-15 minutes. You are exercising your dog's brain and want it to be a pleasurable experience. Start with one command and continue training with that one command until your puppy has mastered it without fail. Each time he does the desired behavior, click the clicker and then give him a training treat. Eventually, your dog won't require the treats, but they are a great tool to keep your dog interested.
For more information, there are tons of books and YouTube videos available for training tips. Cesar Millan has lots of videos available to show you how to train your dog and turn
a potential disaster into the wonderful pet you've always wanted.
