Dog Obedience Training - The Basics

Dog Obedience Training simply means the training of any dog. It could range from basic (beginner's) training to a high-level (advanced) competition among different clubs where more accuracy and commands as well as performance are judged and scored. A lot of dog trainers have a lot of fun during different competition events.

How would you know if the dog is obedient? Just start training with the basic commands and see if it responds each time you give the command. You can consider a dog obedient, instead of just trained in obedience, when it responds reliably every time the command is given. Not every dog that goes through Dog Obedience Training is obedient though. If it doesn't respond to the trainer's command right away, then your dog is not obedient yet. Keep training, and it will. Repetition and love are the keys to an obedient dog.

Usually, there are two or more people involved in Dog Obedience Training - the handler and the trainer. Sometimes it could be one person who combines two roles. Training a dog in obedience is a long and ongoing process that depends on the dog, the training method, and the skills and knowledge of both - and the handler the trainer.

The important key to successful obedience training is trust and a good relationship between the handler and the dog.

Basic dog obedience is usually a short course - between six and ten weeks. During this course, the handler learns the proper way to communicate with the dog and trains it in a few very simple commands. Most methods are designed for the dogs to be trained one command at a time. A good way to start Dog Obedience Training is leash control (walking as it should be on a leash). The majority of trainers require dogs to walk on a leash before learning other commands.

Once you learned to control your dog on a leash, move on to the next step. When the handler is training the dog, there may or may not be a specific word attached to it. Certain commands are accepted as standard and commonly used. However, it doesn't matter if they are used. It is important though to be consistent in usage.

There are five basic commands in Dog Obedience Training:

Sit: the dog simply sits when the command is given.

Down: the dog lies down with its front feet and rear legs touching the ground.

Heel: the dog's shoulder or head is close and parallel to the handler's leg.

Come (recall command): means to "Call your dog".

Stay: the dog must remain at the same location and in the given position under which the handler gave the command. The handler will release the dog in some time.

There is no exact number of advanced commands - the sky is the limit. Some of them are:

Leave it: direct the dog to not touch an item. This command is very useful. It should be given before the dog has picked anything up.

Stop: the dog has to stop what it is doing. It doesn't matter how far the dog is from its keeper. It has to lie down on command.

Speak: when taught this command, the dog will bark (once or more).

Roll Over: the dog will lie down (if it wasn't already), roll over on its back, and stands back up.

Fetch: The handler throws an object (usually a ball or a stick) and the dog will retrieve it and brings it back. This is the command when both, the handler and the dog could have a lot of fun.

Even though the goal for your dog could be high-level specialty training, Dog Obedience Training is often a requirement for or a part of other training. You and your dog have to learn to walk before you start running…