PART 2: 5 RULES FOR COMMAND TRAINING YOUR NEW PUPPY

To continue the theme of my last post, this is the second of three info sheets I gave to each new puppy owner about how to train your new puppy. This is training to get your puppy to perform desired behaviors on command.

RULE #1 - PRAISE: Always praise your dog whenever he performs an obedience task correctly. Do so enthusiastically, in an excited voce, petting, scratching, and stroking him in ways he likes most. It is impossible to exaggerate how important positive reinforcement is to the training process, more so than any other rule. Your puppy's desire to please you will be the single strongest motivating force for training him to do the right thing and obey commands.

NEVER praise or reward your dog for performing these behaviors on their own, without a command, unless you want him to. For example, a friend of mine trained her dog to sit up and beg on command for a treat. The first time he did so without being asked she gave him a treat, remarking how cute it was. Now he does it all the time, begging for treats constantly, and the behavior has become a nuisance.

NEVER use treats to encourage behavior. Your dog should obey your commands for praise alone, without the expectation of getting a treat. This is counterproductive because if you ever need him to obey you when you do not have treats on hand, the dog will be disappointed and may eventually stop doing the behavior on command again. Treats are not for training, they are for bonding and play time.

RULE #2 - CONSISTENCY: Remain consistent in everything you do. Use the same command for a particular behavior every time. Only praise your puppy when he performs the behavior exactly, not almost or half-way. Make him repeat the behavior until he gets it right. Every day or every other day take a half-hour or so taking your dog through the full battery of commands you've taught him to keep him in practice.

RULE #3 - PATIENCE: Don't grow impatient with your puppy if he has difficulty with a behavior, and never lose your temper. Make him repeat a behavior until he gets it exactly right, then praise him. Only work on one behavior at a time until he masters it, then progress to the next one. Don't spend more than 30 minutes in each training session. Longer, and both you and your puppy will grow impatient and frustrated. However, you can have any number of 30-minute training sessions in a day, as long as there are breaks for play and cuddling.

NEVER, EVER punish your puppy for failing a command. Just withhold praise and make him do it again. In this sort of training it is you asking the dog to do something that does not come naturally to him, so punishment is neither fair nor productive.

RULE #4 - SHOW AND TELL: When teaching your puppy a new behavior, perform the command clearly. For verbal commands, say the puppy's name first to let him know the command is directed at him, then say the command: "Spike, sit!" or "Juniper, down!" or "Captain Bly, heal!" etc. Then show the puppy what you'd like him to do by physically making him do it: pushing his butt down to the floor; pushing his shoulders down until he lays down; pulling the leash around you until he is in heal position, etc. Remember that he is not going to do it the first time, maybe even not the first 20 times. Don't express disappointment or anger, in fact each time he fails show no emotion whatsoever. He wants your praise, do not give it until he performs the behavior exactly how you want him to do it. Then praise him and make him do it again, reinforcing the behavior on command.

RULE #5 - COMMANDS TO TEACH: What commands do I teach my puppy? I have listed the most common commands below, along with the expected behavior and the hand signal that commonly goes with it. I have a friend who is deaf and has taught his dog based on hand signals alone, no verbal commands. It's actually pretty cool to watch.
NOTE: Commands do not have to be shouted, in fact the more calmly and softly spoken the better. Hand signals do not need to be big, exaggerated movements, in fact the subtler the better.

I have only listed obedience commands below. I am not fond of dog "tricks" but you can come up with any command you want for any trick you want to teach your puppy, as long as those commands don't conflict with the ones below and confuse your dog.

"SIT"

Dog should sit on command from any other position, including laying down. If your dog lays down, or lounges back on their haunch like they're vacationing in the Caribbean, this is wrong. Sitting only, with tail behind, is correct.
HAND SIGNAL: Fist raised toward dog's nose.

"UP"

Dog should stand up and relatively still on command from any position. All four paws on the ground. Some movement is okay but if your dog is dancing around or otherwise fidgeting this is to be discouraged.
HAND SIGNAL: Palm flat and up, hand lifted sharply.

"DOWN"

NOTE: NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH "OFF", below!
Dog should lie down on command. On belly with front paws in front, rear paws tucked under, tail behind is correct. Lying on his side or with paws out to the sides is wrong.
HAND SIGNAL: Palm flat and down, hand lowered sharply.

"STAY"

Dog should remain in whatever position he is currently in until another command is given. Walk away and come back to ensure your dog learns this well. Make him stay while sitting, standing, lying down, etc. When well-learned your dog will stay almost indefinitely.
HAND SIGNAL: Palm flat and raised toward dog's nose, hand thrust toward dog sharply.

"COME"

Dog should immediately come to you and sit directly in front of you, awaiting further instruction.
HAND SIGNAL: Palm flat and upward, hand lifted in an arc toward yourself.

"OFF"

NOTE: NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH "DOWN", above!
Command is given when your dog in either up on something and you want him down, or when jumping up on someone who does not want him to do so. Dog should immediately jump down to the floor or ground on command.
HAND SIGNAL: Palm flat and sideways, hand swept in a downward arc across your body.

"HEAL"

Whether on a leash or not, dog should take up a standing position at your side, shoulder even with your calf, on either the left or right side, whichever side you indicate with the hand signal (see below.) If the dog is in front of you, he should walk around your side and come up from behind on the indicated side. Additionally, the dog should remain there until another command is given, walking when you walk, stopping when you stop, keeping pace with you at all times. If you stop for an extended period it is okay if he sits, but he must rise up again and keep pace when you start moving again.

This command is easiest to teach on a leash first, then try it without one.
HAND SIGNAL: Thumb pointing to right or to left, whichever side you want the dog to stand on.

"RELEASE"

This releases your dog from any current command and tells him he can go play or eat or whatever, he is basically free to go do whatever he wants now.
HAND SIGNAL: Hand in a flicking motion away from you.

OTHER COMMANDS

Other commands you can teach your dog he will learn readily enough, such as "Go lay down," or "Go outside." I have taught my dog to "WAIT" when I lay down a treat and not take it until I nod and say, "Take it!" When I want her to get into the truck I say, "LOAD UP!" These are all obedience commands to be sure, but not as important as the ones above. You and your dog will teach each other a lot of others, I'm sure.