Pete the pet vet – Teach your dog to be charming

COME, sit and stay are orders that all owners should teach their pet dogs. If a dog predictably carries out these behaviours on command, life is much simpler and safer for owner and animal. The principles of training dogs are very simple. If a dog repeatedly receives a reward for performing a particular behaviour when he hears a specific word, he very soon makes the connection between the three parts of the equation. Hear command, carry out behaviour, receive reward. When the dog has learned the command, it is no longer necessary to give the reward every time. The dog will hear the instruction and carry out the behaviour without necessarily expecting the reward. This is the basis for all dog training. To first train a dog, you need to physically witness the dog carrying out the behaviour, issue the command as it occurs, then immediately give the reward. Most often, you need to gently force the dog to do the behaviour for the first few times â€â€ for example, push the dog's rear end down to the ground, as you repeatedly say the word 'sit'. Dogs are intelligent and they learn fast. The strongest reward for most dogs is food, and treat-based training is the most rapid way to teach a dog new commands. However, dogs also enjoy receiving praise from their owners. Some kind words and a pat on the head are often enough of a reward to dogs, especially once the initial learning has been done, and the instructions are just being reinforced. Dogs don't just listen; they also watch. You should get into the habit of standing in the same position and making the same gestures with your hands when you issue a particular command. For example, you could point your index finger at your dog whenever you say 'sit', or spread your hand out flat each time you say 'stay'. You do need to remember to be consistent. This is especially important when your dog is half-trained. Once you have issued the command, you must insist that your dog carries out the behaviour. If you let him away with disobedience on one occasion, he learns immediately that obeying your command is optional. You should not issue the command unless you are in a situation when you are confident that your dog will obey. There is no point in bellowing 'sit' while your dog is galloping over the horizon chasing another dog! It is easy to teach your dog the essential commands by yourself, but if you want an impeccably well-behaved dog, you are safer to engage the services of a professional dog trainer. Your local vet will be able to give you the details of dog trainers in your area. Even when a dog has been trained, it is worth spending fifteen minutes every day with your dog, repeating the commands. Dog training should be an ongoing process, throughout the life of the animal. Dogs often respond to commands in ways that reflect their own personality. My childhood dog would always refuse to sit properly on cold or wet surfaces. She would lower her rear end to the ground, but hold herself half an inch away from it. I met a dog called Sandor last week, who has his own unique way of sitting, as you can see from the photograph. He prefers to use a human seat, backing up to it, and lifting his hind legs onto the chair. Perhaps this is something that his owner would rather that he didn't always do on the command of 'sit'!