Basic tricks you can teach your dog TODAY

So you want to train your dog. Is it even possible to do it yourself? Sure, but start from the easiest for him, so he can adapt to this new routine. These are our recommendation on what to teach him first.

Note: Don't think your dog can't learn these tricks if he is not so young. You can train older dogs, too!

Respond to the clicker - the foundation of other tricks
Step 1: click and give your dog a treat,
Step 2: repeat about 30 times - the dog will start connecting the treat with the click,
Step 3: keep following the rule click-than-treat to maintain the habit.

Name - teach him to recognize its name, the base for other tricks
Step 1: ignore your dog until he looks at you, click and treat
Step 2: repeat 2-4 times,
Step 3: say his name when he looks at you,
Step 4: repeat until he looks at you when you say his name.

Sit - teach your pet to sit on command
Step 1: wait until he sits down on his own, click and treat,
Step 2: repeat several times,
Step 3: say SIT as soon as he sits, click and treat,
Step 4: repeat until he sits when you say sit.

Come - the most important command to teach your dog, sometimes it can save its life
Step 1: go to your dog, give him the command you choose for calling him, and give him a treat + praise. Practice a few times a day with different treats,
Step 2: go across the room, call his name and when he comes, click and treat,
Step 3: each time he comes, but before the treat, pet his head and loop your hand under his collar. Dogs don't like being forced to do something they don't like to do, so this is just to relax him,
Step 4: call him from different rooms,
Step 5: practice when he's interested in something else than treat when he comes.

Release - to tell your dog to be released from sitting or staying
Step 1: give the command to sit, after 8 seconds use the vocal command + hand motion of your choice to tell your dog to be released. He will naturally release if you show excitement, when he does, click and treat,
Step 2: after some time, you will want to be less enthusiastic, and for him to be able to release on a subtle cue. You can achieve this by giving him the command to sit. After 5-8 seconds use just your vocal command, as energetic as before. Each time you repeat, you should tone done your enthusiasm.
Step 3: extend the wait time (4-5 seconds) before giving the release, building up to several minutes of waiting to be released.

Stay - this simple command will teach him to stay put
Step 1: have your dog sit, click and treat,
Step 2: say STAY, wait 6 seconds, say release, click and treat,
Step 3: say SIT and STAY and wait 10 seconds, say RELEASE, click and treat,
Step 4: repeat 4-5 times per session
Step 5: practice in multiple sessions every day, building up to several minutes before releasing.

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