Dog Care and Obedience Training

The "Down". Once your dog knows how to sit, teaching him to lie down on command will not be difficult. Place the dog in the "Sit" position, then, with command "Down", gently pulling his forelegs out from under him until he is lying down. He will struggle at first, but hold him down firmly until he relaxes; then reward him. An alternative way is to hold the leash taut while passing it under your shoe and firmly pressing on his shoulders, as you give the command "Down". Command "Up" when you want him to rise. Once the dog has mastered these bases, it is ready for more advanced training.

Practice periods should be short - not more than ten minutes - but held twice a day if possible. When teaching a new exercise, always review the ones the dog is already familiar with. Other exercises are to teach a dog to heel off the lead, to sit with a group of dogs for three minutes while the owner is out of sight; to stay down under the same conditions for five minutes; to drop instantly.

Advanced training includes exercises in scent discrimination, in which the dog selects from many objects the one bearing its owners scent; obeying commands by hand signal only; picking up and following a scent for tracking; and some others.

The object of obedience training is not to teach a dog "tricks". Among other things, such training can save the dog's life, for a dog that stays at its owners side will not rush off into the path of oncoming vehicles, while one who drops instantly on recall can be kept out of all sorts of trouble.

Above all, as innumerable owners have discovered, a well-trained dog is a joy to own, while an unruly one is a source of endless headaches. One final word: some breeds are far easier to train than others, but even the most stubborn of breeds will eventually learn their lessons if, and only if, the trainer has the patience required.

Complete list of books for dog care