Nothing can be more fun than seeing your dog perform cool tricks like a high five or roll over in front of you. Dog training is a rewarding activity for both you and your dog. You feel accomplished having an obedient dog while your pet gets a tasty treat in return. But before you start teaching him tricks you see on your Facebook feed, he needs to learn first these five basic obedience commands.
Come
‘Come’ is an essential command that can help keep your dog out of trouble. Calling your dog to come can make him go to where you are, in case he’s off his leash outdoors.
To teach your dog to come, bring him to a quiet place. Make him recognize your command “Come + (dog’s name)” by giving him a treat each time you say it. Do it a few times so he can remember it well.
Next, place a treat on the floor and let your dog eat it. As soon as he finishes, say your ‘come’ command and give him another treat if he looks up to you. Repeat for a few more times until you can go a little farther away from him, and he looks back at you whenever you call him.
Pro tip: Always reward your dog when he responds to your ‘come’ command. Remember, your goal is to make coming to you fun and interesting. Keep his favorite treats and toys ready and don’t punish him if he makes mistakes.
Sit
Sit is one of the easiest basic obedience commands to teach your dog.
To start, hold a treat close to your dog’s nose and slowly move your hand up. As soon as he follows the treat and his bottom lowers and touches the floor, say “sit” and give him the treat.
Repeat this a few times every day until your dog has mastered it. Never physically push your dog down to sit as this can be confusing and scary to some dogs.
Stay
Once your dog has mastered sitting down for a few minutes, you can start teaching him to stay. Your goal is to keep your dog sitting until you have given him a release signal.
First, ask your dog to sit. With your open palm facing your dog, say ‘stay’ and take a few steps backward. Reward him with a treat if he successfully stays.
Repeat this a few more times and try to increase the duration of him sitting before you give your dog a treat.
Down / Lay Down 
You can teach ‘down’ to your dog the same way you teach him to ‘sit’.
Using an aromatic treat, hold it close to your dog’s nose and make him follow by moving your hand to the floor. Slide your hand along the floor in front of him to make him lay down. Once he is in the position, say ‘down’ and give him the treat.
In case he sits or tries to grab the treat from your hand, say ‘no’ then take the treat away. Repeat this every day until he masters the skill.
Leave it
The trick in teaching your dog to ‘leave it’ is to make him think that he will get something better if he ignores what piques his curiosity.
To start, place a treat in each of your hand, one that’s less attractive and one that is particularly tasty and aromatic. Show him one of your enclosed fists containing the less attractive treat and say your ‘leave it’ command. Ignore all his attempts to get the treat inside.
The moment he stops trying, give him the tastier treat hidden in your other hand. Repeat this process until your dog moves away from your first fist whenever you say your command.
Meaty, tasty treats for your dog
Dog training can be a rewarding activity, but it takes a lot of patience to be successful. Never try to rush the process, and we assure you that training your dog can be a worthwhile investment and unique bonding experience.
Before starting, take time to identify what toys and treats your dog loves, so he gets even more encouraged to learn.
Look for aromatic and tasty treats that are just as nutritious and guilt-free like Addiction’s Meaty Bites.
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