Keep Your Dog Safe With Three Easy Commands

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     Dog ownership is a huge responsibility. You are the one that must provide care and safety for your furry friend. He depends on you to provide him with food, water, a comfortable environment, and so much more. Dog owners come from every walk of life with varying expectations of their pets. Some dog owners want their pet to be of show quality, some want a hunting companion, others want a dog that can protect their home and yard, and still others simply want a pet that they can count on for friendship, love and loyalty.

Obviously some owners will need to work with their dogs more closely if they are to instill the qualities they desire in their pet. But it is true that many dog owners do not spend much time training their little friends; instead, they seem happy to have their dog just as he is. In fact, some people prefer dogs that are full of their natural instincts.

Whether your dog is a champion or he is a hunter or simply a companion, he should be taught some simple commands. The three basic commands that can literally save your dog's life are; 'stay,' 'drop it', and 'leave it' or 'no.' Each of these commands can be taught very quickly and without much effort.

By teaching your pet to stay you can be assured that you can prevent him from running into traffic or out your front door. Countless dogs are lost or even killed because they unknowingly put themselves at risk. You can greatly reduce this risk for your dog if you teach him the 'stay' command.

Puppies love to chew on things and they are usually not particular about what that is. Even adult dogs sometimes find inappropriate objects to play with. Teaching your dog to 'drop it' or 'leave it' can prevent him from eating something poisonous or otherwise dangerous, or it can simply keep him from getting into your kitchen garbage. An alternative to teaching each of these two commands individually is simply teaching your pet the 'no' command.

Believe it or not it is easy to train your dog to respond to these commands. Work with you pet on a regular basis, but keep the training sessions short. A 10 - 15 minute session is usually sufficient. Always reward your pet with praise or a treat for each success.

To begin teaching the your pet to stay you may want to leave your pet in a room, repeat the command a few times, then walk out, closing the door behind you. After doing this a few times you can use the same technique without closing the door. After you dog has mastered that you will want to take him outdoors, in an enclosed area, and continue the practice.

The other commands can be taught by practicing with a safe item that you know your pet finds tempting. This can be anything of your choosing; food, a shoe, or even a toy. When you see your puppy or dog attempt to explore or pick up the object you should give the command. Repeat if necessary. If your pet ignores you and picks up the object you should remove it and repeat the command again. You may find that offering another object in trade for the forbidden one will speed up the learning process.

Remember to keep the training session short and always reward your pet for a job well done. These simple commands can help keep your dog safe and make your life with your pet more enjoyable.