There are a lot of tv shows and articles about re-training your dog, and how to correct behavioral problems. But most of them never tell you the things you should train your dog to do in order to prevent these problems, and to make your lives easier. So here are my recommendations, in no particular order.

1. No

   People often over-use this word. “No” should mean that the dog is doing something wrong, and you want it to stop immediately. Too many people use it to say “you aren’t doing what I want you to do.” The reason the former is better is that your dog will instantly know it is doing something wrong and it needs to stop doing it. The latter way of using the command is it can be very confusing to the dog. If you are trying to teach the dog a new trick, but you keep saying “No” when he doesn’t do it right, you are sending him mixed messages. The dog thinks, “Do you want me to do this stupid trick or not?” If you need a word to correct a dog for errors during training, use a word like “WRONG.”

2. Stay and Wait

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   These are actually two different commands. Use “stay” when you want your dog to stay in one place and not leave until given permission. “Wait” means you want the dog to not do something until you give him permission. I use “wait” when I feed my dogs. This teaches them to calm down before chowing down, and it also teaches them that you are the food provider, and they had better listen to you if they want to eat. Once I have their attention, I tell them “OK” and they can eat. These may be subtle differences for you, but they won’t be for your dog.

3. Come

   Use this when you want your dog to immediately come to you, whether it is checking out a cute dog of the opposite sex, or is about to play with a rattlesnake. Do not use this command if you are going to reprimand the dog for doing something wrong (reprimanding doesn’t work well anyway). It will give the dog the opposite signal. That’s why you see people screaming at their dog that has just escaped the house, and they are running down the street screaming, “Come here! Come, Come!” I wouldn’t come to you either. As a side note, getting the “come” command down also discourages your dog from taking off at every opportunity.

4. Down and Off

   Again, we have similar commands that people often misuse. The “down” command means to lie down on the ground or floor. It can be used to tell a dog to get down from your visitor’s knees, chest, or shoulders, (depending on the size of your dog), and then lie down on the ground. “Off” should be used when you want your dog to get off the bed or other furniture. Telling a dog “down” when he is in your favorite chair means to lie down and enjoy himself. You just gave him permission.

5. Sit

   “Sit” is probably the easiest and most basic command. But using this command as a forerunner to other commands is very helpful. Using “sit” to get your pet to stop hugging your visitor can also work.

6. Heel

   This one is really not that hard, but you have to do it right. Try to teach your dog to always heel on your left side, and don’t let them get ahead of you while walking. If you stop walking, they should stop walking. My dogs are trained to stop walking and sit until I start walking again. They even look both ways before crossing the street. Letting them lead you gives them the mistaken idea that they are the pack leader. You also need to use a short leash. I always have to laugh at people who use those 25ft retractable leashes and wonder why they are getting dragged all over the place. Heel can also be used without a leash, to once again keep your dog from greeting your visitors with too much enthusiasm.

7. Go Pee

   Another variation is “go pee-pee.” This starts while house training your dog, but it has two added benefits. First, like a child before a trip, it is nice to tell your dog to go pee before you all jump into the car. The other is pointing to a specific spot or area and giving the command. This teaches the dog to pee in a designated area, instead of anywhere they want. Amaze your friends and family with this one.

8. Ding

   Okay, this isn’t so much a command as it is a convenience. I’m amazed that so few people teach their dogs to do this. Find a small bell, like a cow-bell but much smaller. Maybe a goat-bell? Hang it from the handle of the door your dog normally uses to go outside, within reach of their snout. Every single time you open that door, reach down and ring the bell. Encourage your dog to do the same thing. Next thing you know, your dog will be ringing the bell to let you know he wants to go outside. You can stop ringing the bell yourself once the dog get’s the point. One caveat. If your dog gives you a gentle “ding”, telling you he wants out, but you don’t react quickly enough, you may then experience a loud **DING-DING-DING** to get your attention. This can be very annoying if you are in the middle of a good movie or other private activity.

9. Drop It

   This command has a number of uses. First, if you happen to drop some medication or other dangerous object on the floor and your dog goes for it, thinking it is food, the “drop it” command can save your dog’s life. (Did you know dogs can spit?) The command can also be used to reinforce with your dog who’s in charge. Take their favorite toy, and teach them to drop it on command. Be sure to immediately praise them and give it back so they learn to trust you. It can also be a useful command if your dog picks up the neighboring pit bull’s favorite bone. Use the same command when you are playing fetch. That way, you don’t end up playing tug-of-war instead.

10. Shake, Fetch, Rollover

    These types of commands serve no real purpose other than being a trick to amuse you. But learning a new trick and performing them for you is very important to a dog. It challenges them mentally, giving them something to think about, and should generate lots of love and praise when they do it successfully. Starting out with simple tricks makes it that much easier to move on to the harder ones listed above.

Remember this – dog’s respond to two things – authority and praise (3 things if you include treats). Being pack animals, dogs naturally want to follow the leader of the pack. If you don’t take that role, then he will. Nothing makes a dog happier than knowing it has made the dominant dog happy (that’s you). So use lots of praise. Punishment doesn’t work nearly as well, and in most cases serves no purpose other than to smooth your own ruffled feathers at your dog’s expense. Dogs are great pets, but a well behaved dog is pure heaven.