CONSISTENCY
       Consistency is paramount. Be sure to use the same word to mean the same thing each and every time. For instance, the word "down" means to lie down and should not also be used to mean no jumping on people or furniture.
       Using the same word in two different contexts can be very confusing to your dog.
       You must also be consistent your corrections. By allowing your dog to not obey a command one time and chastising him for the same action next time, you're sending mixed signals to him and undermining your control.
       

COLLARS AND LEASHES
       For puppies, I recommend using a lightweight buckle-type collar made of nylon. Great care should be taken to ensure a properly fitted collar. It should be tight enough to prevent it from slipping over the puppy's head but loose enough to slip two fingers underneath it. A "training collar" (also referred to as a choke collar) is totally unnecessary for training a puppy.
       I also recommend a six-foot training leash made of leather, nylon or cotton web. This allows enough room for the dog to move freely while you maintain control.
       

TRAINING SESSIONS
       Avoid training during the hottest part of the day, and before and after meals. Short, 15 minute sessions each day followed by lots of play periods will create a happy dog! Keep the work fast-paced and demanding for the period of your dog's greatest attention span. This will keep him from becoming bored or sloppy, and remember that a puppy's attention span will be shorter than that of an older dog.
       

FOUR BASICS: SIT, STAY, DOWN, COME.
       SIT. Try using the "tuck" method of teaching the sit command. To do this, put the dog in front of you, hold his leash in your right hand, and place your left hand on his legs just below his rear end and just above the knee joint. Use your left hand and arm and place slow but gradual pressure with your left hand, while giving the sit command. As your dog's knees bend into a sitting position, praise him profusely.
       The key here is to give the verbal sit command simultaneously with the tuck, so that your dog begins to associate the word with the action you desire him to perform. Eventually, you should give the verbal command to sit without using the hand to tuck.
       STAY. A very practical command, this simply means that the dog should remain in a stationary position when commanded to do so. While this can be applied while your dog is in any number of positions, start by teaching it in the sit position.
       Hitting a dog can make him fearful of your hand, which can create serious problems (possibly aggression toward people and children.)
       Begin with the dog sitting on your left side, holding the leash in your right hand. Use your left hand to give the hand signal for "stay." (fingers pointed down, palm of the hand towards your dog.) Give the verbal command "stay" without using the dog's name.
       Step away from your dog, using your right foot first, and as you step away, grab hold of the leash with your left hand, raising your hand and arm slightly (but not putting pressure on your dog's collar). Repeat this several times, until your dog gets the hang of it, and when he does, lavish praise on her.
       DOWN. Prepare yourself for this one! For some dogs this is one of the most difficult commands to learn. But from a dog's point of view, lying down is a submissive position, and it makes him vulnerable. That's why, until he has the confidence, your dog may fight you on this one.
       Begin in the sit position, and kneel alongside your dog. Give him the verbal command to lie down, which is simply "down" (don't add to the confusion with extra words like "lie down"). Now place your left arm around your dog's back, gently grasping his left front leg with your left hand, and the right leg with your right hand. Gradually lift your dog's front end upward, then outward, and finally into the down position, giving the verbal command "down."
       As soon as he lies down, give the "stay" command (it also can't hurt to repeat "down, down, down") and don't forget to praise!
       COME. If your dog is still a young puppy, odds are she'll stay close to you. However, as time goes on and she begins to feel more independent, her natural curiosity will take over and she'll begin to wander around the home. This is a perfect time to use the come command to your advantage.
       To begin, place your dog in a sit position. Give the "stay" command, leave your dog, and proceed to the end of her six-foot training leash. Call your dog to you in an enthusiastic tone: "Fluffy, come!" (Since this is a motion command, use her name to get her attention.) Step backward, and reel in the leash simultaneously while talking to your dog to keep her attention. When she arrives, give the command to sit. Lavish with praise each and every time she comes to you!
       If she doesn't respond, correct her with a jerk of her leash. Do not, in this case, use the word "no," because she may then think that the act of coming is wrong.
       Once she has mastered the six-foot leash, gradually progress to longer lengths of twelve, sixteen, twenty and fifty feet. Once she's responding properly on the longer leashes, only then should you let her try it off-leash.
       

REGARDING CORRECTION
       Before you embark on your first obedience session with your dog, you must learn and practice the obedience correction. This jerk of the leash is used to indicate to your dog that he has made a mistake. The development of a correct jerk coupled with an effective "no!" is the most important concept in obedience training. Without it, basic obedience will never be firmly established.
       With only a few exceptions, the leash is never to be jerked without an accompanying verbal "no!" You don't want to become overly dependent on the leash as the correction.
       Ideally, the jerk and "no" should be used just before your dog has committed himself to a particular action. For example, if your dog has the tendency to jump on people as they enter your home, anticipate this and use the jerk and "no" just as soon as he shows the first signs of jumping, and not after he is in full flight.
       After a jerk-and-no correction has been given, the tension on the leash should be released immediately. Never pull, yank, or tug your dog. Steady pressure on his collar is not the correct approach; a quick jerk and an immediate release is.
       The three biggest training mistakes to avoid: