The first and foremost thing to remember about training your dog is that dog training is not an event or a destination, it is an on-going process. Every interaction with a dog is a training opportunity – feeding them, playing with them, taking them for a walk and even just sitting and spending quality time with them. This is because dogs are always observing our body language and inferring from it. This article gives you a quick insight into 6 common dog cues you can teach your dog at home and have fun while doing it!
Think of how much you talk in a day and how much is going on in your life through the day in your dog’s presence. A tiny bit of it is actually directed towards our dogs in the form of dog training. It is important to remember to not attempt to portray a different personality during training. Eg- if you are a soft-spoken person in general and try to be stern and loud while training your dog, it may end up confusing your dog more than teaching them.
Before starting a training session, take a deep breath and imagine yourself as a teacher that you would want for yourself. Also keep in mind your dog’s personality, what motivates them and what makes them anxious. Some dogs may respond to a stern body language, whereas the same body language may deter several dogs. Be flexible in your approach and try to connect with your dog through a calm demeanor and a ton of patience.
While your dog doesn’t really understand the concept of a name, interactions and communication are rather incomplete in the human world without assigning a name to the subject. Over time, your dog learns to respond to their name because it is generally followed by a reward or an interaction every single time.
Here’s how to teach your dog to respond to their name –
How difficult might it be to get your dog to look at you, right? Just whistle once or show them a treat! While this may be the general perception, getting a dog to look at you and hold their focus can be a little trickier than that; especially when you’re in an outdoor environment and they are fixated on a squirrel. Getting your dog to focus on cue is a great foundation towards raising a well behaved and confident dog.
Here’s how to teach your dog to look at you and hold that focus –
Our dogs explore the world primarily through their nose and their mouth. 95% of what they pick up outside is considered trash in the human world. And the other 5% we don’t know because they have already swallowed it! *wink* Many a time, when they pick up stuff like metal objects, cigarette buds, chocolate wrappers, etc., they pose a grave threat to themselves. For this reason, every dog must learn to drop things from their mouth on cue.
Here’s how you can teach your dog to drop things–
Leaving something or someone alone is a crucial cue to teach a dog. Not only does it keep your dog safe from unsafe objects and unnecessary interactions with other dogs and people, but it is also a great way to teach your dog the concept of environment neutrality. “Leave it” is an important cue to up your dog’s socialization game because when your dog learns to acknowledge a stimulus in their environment and be able to leave it alone or ignore it, they grow up to be comfortable and confident in a wide variety of environs.
Here's how to teach your dog to “leave it” in 7 easy steps
Recall is one of the easiest cues to teach your dog but one of the toughest to master. Read that again. Getting a dog to come to you on cue is a life saving cue and should be taught right from a young age.
Here is a quick step by step guide to help you through recall training with your dog –
Stay is an essential impulse control behavior as well as a springboard for cool tricks and sports maneuvers. Stay from the human’s perspective can be quite straightforward. But from the dog’s POV, it can be one of the most challenging behaviors to perform considering their excitement level peaks at the smallest movements around them.
Here are some tips to help you train your dog for a Solid Stay –
The mindset around dog training has shifted and evolved over the years for the better. In earlier times, many pet parents turned to dog training when they experienced minor or major issues cropping up. But today, it is perceived more as a bonding activity and a preventive measure. However, when training our dogs ourselves, we tend to have set expectations for the outcomes of the training, which may put undue stress on us as well as our dogs. Furthermore, many training cues and behaviors can be a little complicated for an average pet parent to learn and teach. This is where the involvement of a professional can go a long way.
Finding a trainer to come home can, at times, be expensive and a tedious affair. In such cases, virtual training can be a boon. At LAY LO pets, we are deeply invested in our canine customers and believe in raising the bar high when it comes to their well being. In a brief period of 5 years, we have helped thousands of people improve life at home with their dogs through our award-winning products and online support from our expert collective.
Dog training should be a matter of “want to” rather than “have to.” Our team of expert trainers make the perfect coaches for you and your dog as they believe in working towards your goal with you while making the process enjoyable for everyone involved.
Author Bio: Siddhika is a certified dog trainer, behaviorist, and professional pet writer. Over the course of her dog training career, she has gained 3 certifications accredited by KCAI (Kennel Club Accredited Instructors) in the field of dog training and behavior, viz - Basic obedience course, Therapy Dog Training Course and Canine Aggression Course. She has the qualifications and experience in the theoretical as well as real-life applications of science-based dog training techniques.
With the expertise to write about a plethora of dog-related topics and a personal interest in dog cognition and behavior, Siddhika is an out-and-out canine nerd.
