Here is a short rundown of the commands. If you attend puppy classes or obedience-training classes, you will have professional help in learning these commands. However, you and your dog can learn these very basic exercises on your own at home.
Sit Command
This is the exercise with which you should begin. Place your dog on your left side as you are standing and firmly say Sit. As you say this, run your hand down your dogs back and gently guide him into a sitting position. Praise him, hold him in this position for a few minutes, release your hand, praise him again and give him a treat. Repeat this several times a day, perhaps as many as ten times. Before long, your pup will understand what you want. So that all of your obedience lessons start and end on a positive note, use the sit command to begin and end every lesson.
Stay Command
Teach your dog to stay in a seated position until you call him. Have your dog sit and, as you say Stay, place your hand in front of his nose and take a step or two, no more at the beginning, away from him. After ten seconds or so, call your dog. If he gets up before the end of the command, have him sit again and repeat the stay command. When he stays until called (remembering to start with a very short period of time), praise him and give him a treat. As he learns this command, increase the space that you move away from the dog as well as the length of time that he stays.
The stay command can be used in any position and can be practiced after the sit exercise or the down exercise. Likewise, show-dog trainers use the command to keep the dog in a standing (or stacked) position, as this is required for the show ring.
Heel Exercise
Have your dog on your left side, with his leash on, and teach him to walk with you. If your pup lunges forward, give the leash a quick snap and say a firm No. Then continue to walk your dog, praising him as he walks nicely by your side. Again, if he lunges, snap his leash and say a smart No. He will quickly learn that it is easier and more pleasant to walk by your side. Never allow him to lunge at someone passing by you.
You must teach your Rottweiler to heel when he is still young (and lighter). You will find it very difficult (if not impossible) to walk an untrained Rottweiler around your block (no less around the ring at a dog show). Heeling is an essential exercise for pet dogs and show dogs, and all Rottweilers must be trained to obey this most simple of exercises.
Down Command
This will probably be the most complicated of the five basic commands to teach. Place your dog in the sit position, kneel down next to him and place your right hand under his front legs and your left hand on his shoulders. As you say Down, gently push his front legs out into the down position. Once you have him down, talk gently to him, stroke his back so that he will be comfortable and then praise him.
Recall (come) Excercise
Always practice the come command on-leash. You can't afford to risk failure or pup will learn that he does not have to come when called. He must learn to come reliably. Once you have pups attention, call him from a short distance, Puppy, come! and give a treat when he comes to you. Gently grasp and hold his collar with one hand as you dispense the treat. This is important. You will eventually phase out the treat and switch to only hands-on praise. This maneuver also connects holding his collar with coming and treating, which will assist you in countless future behaviors. Do 10 or 12 repetitions 2 or 3 times a day. Once the pup has mastered Come, continue to practice daily to imprint this most important behavior onto his puppy brain.
Practice Makes Perfect
Daily obedience practice is another lifetime dog rule. Dogs will be dogs, and, if we don't maintain their skills, they will sink back into sloppy, inattentive behaviors that will be harder to correct. Incorporate these basic commands into your daily routine, and your dog will remain a gentleman of whom you can be proud.
Keep sessions short, no longer than ten minutes at first, so your puppy won't get bored or lose his enthusiasm. In time, he will be able to concentrate for longer periods. Watch for signs of boredom and loss of attention. Vary the exercises to keep his enthusiasm level high. Always keep your training sessions positive and upbeat. Use lots of praise, praise and more praise! Never train your dog or puppy if you are in a grumpy mood. You will lose patience and he will think it is his fault. That will reverse any progress the two of you have made.
A big part of training is patience, persistence and routine. Teach each command the same way every time. Do not lose your patience with the dog, as he will not understand what you are doing, and reward him for doing his command properly. With a Rottweiler, you will find that your puppy will learn these commands very quickly. Your friends, when they come to your house for a dinner party, will also appreciate a well-behaved dog who will not jump up on them or land in their laps while they are having cocktails.
Training Overview
1. A puppy class takes advantage of your Rotties aptitude to learn at a young age while exposing him to other people and dogs and teaching you how to teach your dog.
2. Pick a name for your pup and use it! Name recognition is important in training.
3. The basic commands include come, sit, stay, down and heel.
4. Practice with your Rottweiler daily so that he becomes consistent 100% of the time. His reliability in the basic commands is essential for both good manners and his safety.
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