There is a good chance that any dog you adopt, whether a puppy or an adult from a shelter, will benefit from some formal obedience instruction. In order to grow up to be a model canine citizen, a dog must learn to obey the commands Sit, Down, Stay, Come, Heel, Off, and No. These are the “seven typical orders,” as described by Brandon McMillan, expert trainer and Emmy Award-winning host of Lucky Dog and book of Lucky Dog Lessons: Train Your Dog in 7 Days. All of his rescue dogs, whether they spend most of their time in the backyard, at the dog park, or on neighborhood walks with their human friends, receive these training courses. Most animals may learn these fundamentals in a matter of days or weeks with just a few 10- to 15-minute practice sessions per day.

Sit

• While your dog is standing, bring a yummy treat up to its nose.

Move your hand in an arc over your dog’s head while keeping the goodie close to his nose. Dogs have a habit of putting their rear ends on the floor as they lift their heads to follow a treat. As soon as he sits, give him the treat and the praise.

• Do this repeatedly, in frequent, brief sessions.

• Giving your dog a treat after he sits will teach him to sit for longer. The word “sit” can now serve as a cue as he sits down. Be wary of saying it too soon before your dog assumes the correct position, as doing so may confuse them.

• Perform this routine frequently, but only for brief periods at a time.

• To signal the conclusion of training, use a “okay” trigger.

Watch Me

• Hold the treat out to your dog and show it to it at arm’s length. Instinctively, your dog will head in the direction of the food reward. Say “yes” and give them the treat as soon as they look away from it and into your eyes.

• Practice this action until your dog reliably looks at you when you pull out a treat.

If your dog is giving you the “look” on a regular basis, you can start using the “watch me” command.

Say “watch me” and hold out the treat this time. As soon as your dog looks at you expectantly, give them the goodie and give them the “yes”

• You can now gradually lengthen the time your dog maintains eye contact.

First, issue the “watch me” command and mentally count to one. Give a brief treat if your dog keeps looking at you.

Down

• Get your dog to lie down by using a treat
• If your dog knows how to sit when given the command, you’re off to a good start. When your dog is sitting in front of you, command him to “sit,” and then use a goodie to coax him into a down posture. To lure a dog into position, you just use an item that the dog is likely to follow, such as a treat. Carefully lower the treat until your dog’s nose is positioned between their paws and the goodie is on the floor. If your dog is trying to “follow” you with its nose, it will probably start by bending at the knees. As soon as their stomach hits the ground, give them a click and a reinforcer (treat). Do this a few times, and your dog will learn to anticipate the movement of the treat and get into a squatting position with his belly touching the floor.

• A common piece of advice given by professional trainers is “one click, one treat!” Don’t let too much time pass between the click and when the treat is given, or your dog can become confused about what it did to deserve the reward. If he rises up again before you click and treat, he can attribute the treat to his upright position rather than his lying down.

• Trainer motions dog to the ground with a hand signa

• Second, use a visual aid.
• With the addition of a hand gesture as a visual indication, the treat lure can be gradually reduced. Choose your preferred hand signal: a downward pointing finger or an open hand with the palm facing down will do the trick. As in the previous stage, when a treat was used to prompt the dog to respond to your signal, this one consists of a slow, downward presentation of your signal. When your dog relaxes, give them a click and a treat. Repeat.

• As soon as your dog masters the visual cue, you should switch to using the treat exclusively as a reinforcer, so you may gradually reduce the use of the treat lure.

• improvement of down verbal cue

• Third, mention the cue verbally.
• Add a verbal cue by saying “down” and then instantly indicating with your hand. Instruct your dog to lie down and click and treat as soon as he or she starts to do so. Do that a few more times. Once your dog understands that both saying “down” and giving a hand signal imply the same thing, you have the freedom to choose which cue you like (or, better yet, your dog does) depending on the situation. Teaching your dog both a visual and verbal cue improves your ability to communicate with it and reduces the likelihood of misunderstandings, as dogs pay attention to the whole picture (your entire body) throughout a learning session.

Stay

• Start Small
• First, train quietly. No interesting diversions make your dog more attentive. “Sit” now. “Stay!” with an open hand to your dog once he sits. Keep this gesture.

• Wait silently. Sit your dog down again and say “Stay!” Early on, a few seconds of obedience is enough to reward him.

• Slowly Increase Difficulty
• After your pet completes this activity a few times, gradually raise the training level. Gradually lengthen his wait. Don’t hurry him. Small successes help your dog learn and enjoy practice.

• Move a few feet away when you say “remain.” Look at him first. Walk back and sit him down when he stands up. Repeat with a shorter distance and smaller training stages. Distance grows throughout time.

• 3. Challenge More
• Turn your back and walk away from him. Repeat if successful. Your sweetheart may get up or follow you if he notices he’s alone. Correct your dog if he moves. Start by facing him and turning slowly.

• “Stay!” tell your pet. Walk away, then leap, throw a toy, squat, jog, or dance. These movements entice your dog. He ran to join in.

• Repeat the stay command several times while executing these movements to avoid this. The less you repeat your command word, the more your trusty companion can withstand distractions. Correct him again and practice gentler motions if he stands up. Train at your dog’s pace.

• Wall-sitting dog
• If these workouts work, you can make training harder. Make your pet remain. Leave the room and open a treat bag or cabinet. Open the door first. Return to the exercise if your dog follows you.

• If the task works, close the door slowly until it’s closed. Your dog should heed the command even when unseen and wait for you to finish it.

• Practice Daily Situations
• Add ordinary distractions once your pet can safely navigate all indoor steps. Have a friend ring the doorbell and lead your dog. Your dog should wait to get up until you let the person in.

• Exercise outdoors. In a meadow with children playing or a strange dog, tell your dog to stay. Stay with him to correct him early on. In case he bolts, use a long leash.

• If he stays sitting despite the distractions, you can move farther away. First face him, then turn away from your dog. Outside stimuli distract your dog. Practice in modest increments.

• Dog obeys.
• In the forest, you can train your dog to stay in position even without your sight. Hide behind a tree for a while and return. You must finish the command before your pet moves.

• Train with cyclists too. Keep your dog off the road and let the bike pass. Your partner cannot ride or chase the cyclist. Walk and ride together.

Wait

• Start a short leashed walk in your yard or home.
• Walk, stop, face. Walk your dog. Stop. Face your dog.
• Block your dog’s way and yell “wait” with your palm out.
• Release and treat. Treat your dog when he stops walking. Wait a few seconds and say “release” or “OK” to your dog.
• Repeat. Wait a moment and take another step. Repeat the above instructions until your dog stops and waits when you say “wait.”
• Leave. When you tell your dog to wait, walk away from him.
• Release. Give him a treat after releasing him.
• Practice. Before unleashing your dog, practice this. Always praise your dog during training. Walk farther from your dog each session. Reward waiting and unleash your dog.

Come

• Training your dog to come when called is easy, but some dogs require longer. Recall command learning depends on your dog’s attention span and distraction tolerance.

• Use worthwhile prizes and train often. Train your dog for five to 15 minutes three times a week, no more than twice a day.

• Distraction-free
• Don’t train your dog in a noisy or smelly environment. When you start training, you and your dog should be the only ones in the house with normal lights and sounds.

• Treat
• Start with your dog’s favorite toy or training treats. Hold out a toy or treat and call your dog’s name, then say “come” excitedly. Tap your knees and backtrack if needed. Reward and liberally praise your dog when it comes to you, but don’t overexcite it.

• Don’t Chase Your Dog
• Never chase your dog if it bolts during training. This confuses the dog and makes training fun. Calling the dog’s name and fleeing may work. Your dog may play chase. When it arrives, applaud it.

• Behavior issues
• Repeat five or six times, moving to different rooms and outside. Increase distractions as your dog improves.

• Gradually separate from your dog. Use a longer lead. Practice the recall without a leash indoors or in a fenced-in area after your dog has mastered it on the long leash.

• Keep praising with praise as you phase out the toys and treats. Dogs must learn to come to you without food or toys. Realistically, you may need it but have nothing to give it.

Off

• “Off” tells a dog to leave something. Your dog shouldn’t be on the kitchen counter, bed, living room couch, or anything else. Dogs jump to get food or a nice bed. Teaching this command is tough, but feasible. Be persistent and your dog will learn the off command.

• Stockpile
• Catching your dog on something it shouldn’t be on helps teach the off command. That means you’ll need to keep snacks in several areas around your home, preferably near these off-limits. They’ll be handy for dog training.

• Video:
• Dog Sit Training
• Expect Behavior
• Off is a unique command to teach a dog. To train your dog to get off, wait until it misbehaves. Watch your dog and stop what you’re doing if it does something wrong.

• Order
• Tell your dog “off” if you notice it on the counter or couch. Be firm but don’t yell. React immediately so your dog can associate your instruction with its activity.

• Distract the Dog
• Use a hidden goodie to distract your dog. Show the treat when you say “off.” To attract the dog, shake the treat and call its name. Treat the dog when all four paws are on the floor.

Drop It

• Step 1: Teach your dog to switch toys.
• Start with two toys your dog likes. Throw a toy. Show them the second toy and play energetically when they return. Showing children how great the second toy is will make them desire to give up theirs. Be patient, but keep your excitement!

• Step 2—Ensure your dog enjoys the second toy as much as the first.
• Wait for your dog to drop the first toy, then say “Yes” to mark the activity. After this, play with them with the second item and make sure they’re having as much fun as with the first.

• Step 3: Switch the first and second toys (AND SO ON)
• Pick up the first toy and repeat while your dog plays with the second. Your dog will learn to drop the first toy when you offer the second. If your dog likes tug, use two acceptable toys and follow the same instructions.

• Step 4: Teach your dog to associate “drop” with dropping toys.
• Introduce “drop” when your dog consistently drops the first toy when you display the second one. Start by practicing and saying “drop” when your dog drops the toy. Keep doing this until your dog promptly drops the toy when you say “drop.” Then you can ask them to “drop” the original toy without needing a second one.

• Always praise your dog when they drop the toy after hearing your cue word.

Leave It

• Place a treat on your open palm so that your dog can see and smell it. Ask your dog to leave it by saying ‘leave’.
• If your dog stays away from the treat, reward them with lots of praise and a treat from the other hand. 
• If your dog goes to take the treat from your open palm, simply close your hand up and wait for them to back away.      
• Give them a treat from the other hand when they successfully manage to leave the treat in your open hand.

1. NO
2. First teach “No” or “Leave” with goodies. To get your dog’s attention, utilize his favorite treats.
3. To focus your dog, have them “Sit” or “Walk” by you. Keep your dog on a leash for maximum control.
4. Create a distraction or activity your dog will love. A piece of food on the floor could be a distraction or instructional tool.
5. Lead your dog to the dropped food or distraction. Say “Leave” and give your dog a treat for turning toward you and leaving the food. Praise your dog for giving you attention.
6. Distract your dog with new things and places to make this training harder.

HEEL

1. First, clicker training works rapidly. Quality sweets are also recommended. The reinforcement matters. First, grab a clicker and some snacks. We like Brown Beggars as a healthy and tasty workout incentive. For longer workouts, carry extras. Start heel training in your living room, basement, or garden.

• Second, place your pooch on your left. Sit and stay and click and treat them. Wait to stroll with your dog. Wait until they calmly follow your initial easy directions before starting more complicated heel training. Make sure they’re focused on you! Clickers show your dog they obeyed your command and maintain their attention on you.

• Third, hold the little, soft training rewards in your left hand. Heel and walk slowly forward. Expect a slow-moving pet. To direct your dog, hold treats within an inch of their face and click and treat every step. This works best with vocal praise. However, the clicker and verbal praise can be interchanged, saving your voice throughout longer sessions. If your dog tries to veer off, pull ahead, or focus on something other than you, stop, call their name, ask them to sit, remain, and then start again once they’re in the right posture and focused on you.

HANDLE YOUR BUSINESS

• You are free to choose the word that you want to be associated with encouraging your dog to relieve itself outside, but rest certain that the word you decide upon will be used for years to come.

• In order to housetrain your dog, you should take them outdoors frequently and use the term that you want to use to indicate that it is time to go (for example, “go pee,” “go potty,” “outside,” or any other word you want).

• Then, when they have finished their business and are back inside, show them some enthusiasm and give them a treat. To get a handle on this procedure is going to take a few months.

TAKE IT

• For most dogs, teaching “take it” is as easy as giving the cue just before handing the dog an item he wants, like a delicious treat or an enticing toy. Alternatively, you can teach “take it” by giving the cue just as your dog is about to grab an appropriate item with his mouth. In either case, with enough repetitions, he will learn to pair the cue (“take” or “take it”) with the action (picking up a toy or treat).

• “Take it” is most effective when it’s paired with an understanding of “drop it,” which signals the canine to willingly let go of an item in his mouth. The goal of both “take it” and “drop it” is to help ensure that your dog only picks up items that he is allowed to have in his mouth. The cue to “take” signals that it’s OK to pick up a specific toy or treat, while “drop it” lets him know that an item is off-limits. Knowing both commands can help prevent him from chewing or eating something dangerous.

BED

• First, stand near your dog’s bed and offer treats.

• Put snacks in the bed to entice them. Reward your dog for touching the bed if they’re hesitant. Gradually reward your dog for having all four paws on the bed.

• STEP 2 Once your dog is comfortable standing on the bed, use your hand signal to encourage them to lie down. Give them a goodie between the front paws for lying down on the bed. Give them extra rewards to stay down. Say “OK” and throw a reward to let them know they can get up. Repeat this 5 times until your dog always goes to bed and lies down.

• STEP 3 Stand next to the bed again without tempting your dog. Wait to see whether they go to bed alone. If so, treat them between their front paws to lie down. Practice until they go to bed and lie down without being asked. Reward them with a “jackpot” treat or several. Try again if they’re not there. Add a cue word like “bed” once your dog is comfortable going to bed and lying down. Say “bed” again as your dog approaches the bed and reward them when they lie down.

• STEP 4 Start increasing your dog’s bedtime. Stand near the bed again. Reward your dog for going to bed and staying there with treats, gradually increasing the duration between rewards. After settling, try withholding the treat for a few seconds before rewarding. Start with 20 seconds and increase until your dog can settle on the bed. Use your “OK” cue to offer your dog periodic time-outs. If your dog is suffering, reduce the duration between incentives and then increase it.

• Step 5: Teach your dog to stay in bed without you. Step one foot back from your dog after giving the “bed” instruction. Reward stillness. Five times, then two steps back. Increase the distance till you can sit down and treat your dog.

• Reduce the distance and start again if your dog gets up. Once they’re comfortable with you being farther away, you can introduce toys and people again.

• If your dog gets frustrated or acts out, they may have had enough training for the day. Go at their pace and interrupt the session if needed. Come back the next day when they’re rested, focused, and ready to learn.

LEASH

Hold some rewards on the side of your body you want the dog to walk on. If you want your dog to walk left, hold rewards in your left hand.

Leash the dog with your opposite hand. If your dog is on your left, hold the leash with your right hand. Leave the rest loose in a “J”.

Step and halt. Dogs don’t have to heel. Hand-feed the dog biscuits along your jeans seam. Helps place the dog.

Repeat. Walk, pause, and feed a reward along your pants seam.

Before pausing to feed the dog, take two steps.

Stop immediately if the dog leads. Call your dog back or use treats to entice her, but don’t feed her yet. Avoid teaching “I pull ahead, I come back, I eat.” We want them to learn that walking beside you on a slack leash gets treats, not pulling.

Gradually take additional steps between treats. Talking to your dog helps her focus.

Name the loose-leash stroll when the dog walks well. “Heel,” “with me,” “let’s walk,” or another word/phrase is fine.

Release your dog (“all done,” “okay,” “that’ll do,” etc.) when they no longer need to heel.

LAP

• Hold awards on your desired side. Use your left hand to reward your dog on walking left.
• Leash the dog with your other hand. Right-hand the leash if your dog is on your left. Leave the rest loose.
• Stop. Dogs needn’t heel. Hand-feed dog treats along jeans seams. Places dog.
• Repeat. Walk, pause, and feed a reward.
• Do two things before feeding the dog.
• Stop immediately if the dog leads. Call your dog back or lure her with treats before feeding her. Avoid teaching “I pull ahead, I come back, I eat.” They should learn that walking beside you on a slack leash earns treats, not pulling.
• Gradually add steps between goodies. Talking to your dog concentrates her.
• Name the dog’s good loose-leash walk. “Heel,” “with me,” “let’s walk,” or any phrase works.
• Release your dog (“all done,” “okay,” “that’ll do”) after they’re done heeling.

SPEAK

• Encouragement. Reward barking to train your dog to bark in response to a spoken command or hand signal. Having a dog treat ready will help you quickly teach your barking dog that only particular barks—barks in reaction to a stimulus—will be rewarded.
• Teach quiet. Teach your dog a quiet command before encouraging barking. This requires a coin-filled bottle and dog biscuits. Say “quiet,” shake the penny container, and repeat when your dog barks excessively. Over time, shake the bottle less and use the verbal order more. Reward your dog for not barking. Keep penny bottles near the front door, kitchen, couch, etc., where frequent barking is common. Training your dog to quit barking will be easy.
• Encourage dog barking. Barking on command is easier with a vocal dog. If your dog is silent, get them thrilled with a favorite toy or have a family member ring the doorbell.
• 4. Mark bark. When your dog barks, say “talk.” To reinforce the command, give your dog a sweet food (or click, if using clicker training). Mark a single bark at a time so your dog doesn’t think you’re rewarding wild barking while you teach.
• Sign. To emphasize the command, gesture. Say “talk” using a hand signal when your dog barks (for instance, opening and closing your fist while holding it in front of your face.) Use the verbal cue and hand gesture throughout your instruction. The gesture and vocal signal will teach your dog to speak.QUIET

SHAKE

Sit your dog.

• Step 2 Display a goodie before hiding it in your fist.

• Step 3 Raise your fist, palm up, to your dog’s chest.

• Step 4 Your dog should instinctively paw at your fist for the goodie. Open your hand and give them the treat. Repeat until your dog understands.

• Step 5 Repeat steps 1–4 without a treat. Treat your dog when they paw at your fist.

• Step 6 Add “shake” before you reach out your hand once your dog understands what you want. Shaking puppy!

CAR

• Step 1. Open the doors and distribute some yummy treats inside your parked automobile. Allow the dog to climb in and search the car for treats. Avoid interrupting, correcting, or praising him as he works. Let him do it! Do not insist if he leaves after discovering one or two rewards. Take him inside and try again later.

• If he refuses to go inside the car, spread treats about the car with the door open and put a couple on the door frame so the dog may reach up and take them. Try moving them in next time.

• This must be done at a dog-friendly pace. To overcome fear, let him choose what he can do at the moment.

• Step 2. After your dog happily jumps into the car to look for treats, sit in the car and close the doors. You can go when he’s done.

• Step 3. If your dog is calm after Step 2, repeat with the engine on but without driving the car. If your dog feels uneasy, switch the engine off and repeat step 2.

Belly

• Lay your dog down.

• Reinforce “lay on side”
• Click and treat when your dog rolls over. Use your hands or a training stick to guide your dog, not compel him. Click and treat when your dog is on his side.

• Reinforce back
• Guide your dog to roll over onto his back with a training stick or your hands after he receives a treat on his side. Guide, don’t force, wait until your dog rolls over, encourage him, click, and treat.

• Practice. Practice until your dog rolls over for rewards.
• Click and reward your dog after a vocal order.

• Command. “Lay on your back” or “bedtime” should precede the activity. Click and reward when the dog obeys.

• Unclick. Remove the click and gradually increase the time your dog must lie on his back to obtain a reward.

Conclusion

The commands Sit, Down, Stay, Come, Heel, Off, and No. are the “seven typical orders” for a dog to obey. Most animals may learn these fundamentals in a matter of days or weeks with just a few 10- to 15-minute practice sessions per day. Say “yes” and give a treat to your dog as soon as they look away from you and into your eyes. Give a brief treat if your dog keeps looking at you. If your dog is giving you the “look” on a regular basis, you can start using the “watch me” command.

 If your dog is trying to “follow” you with its nose, it will probably start by bending at the knees. As soon as their stomach hits the ground, give them a click and a reinforcer (treat) Do this a few times and your dog will learn to anticipate the movement of the treat and get into a squatting position with his belly touching the floor. The less you repeat your command word, the more your trusty companion can withstand distractions. Train your dog for five to 15 minutes three times a week, no more than twice a day. Some dogs require longer. Recall command learning depends on your dog’s attention span and. distraction tolerance. Train with cyclists, keep your dog off the road and let the bike pass. “Off” is a unique command to teach a dog to leave something behind.

 To train your dog to get off, wait until it misbehaves and then tell it “off”. Say “Yes” when your dog plays with the first toy, then say “Drop” when they play with the second. If your dog likes tug, use two acceptable toys and follow the same instructions. To focus your dog, have them “Sit” or “Walk” by you. Train your pooch with treats within an inch of their face and click and treat every step. Teach “take it” by giving the cue just before handing the dog an enticing treat or toy. “Take it” is most effective when it’s paired with “drop it,” which signals the canine to willingly let go of an item in his mouth. Knowing both commands can help prevent him from chewing or eating something dangerous. Add a cue word like “bed” once your dog is comfortable going to bed and lying down.

 If you want your dog to walk beside you on a leash, we want them to learn that walking beside you gets treats, not pulling. Hand-feed the dog biscuits along your jeans seam. Walk, pause, and feed a reward along your pants seam. Talking to your dog helps her focus. Hand-feed dog treats along jeans seams. Talking to your dog concentrates her. Keep penny bottles near the front door, kitchen, couch, etc., where frequent barking is common.

If your dog is silent, get them thrilled with a favorite toy or have a family member ring the doorbell. Treat your dog when they paw at your fist for a treat. Guide your dog to roll over onto his side with your hands or a training stick. “Lay on your back” or “bedtime” should precede the activity. If your dog feels uneasy, switch the engine off and repeat step