• Dogs and puppies alike can benefit from positive reinforcement obedience training. Using rewards such as food treats, favorite toys, or praise, you can train your dog or puppy to do almost anything. With any kind of dog training, patience is crucial. If you feel your patience waning, take a break from training for a while until you are feeling calmer. There are four essential commands that every dog and puppy should learn in order to be well-behaved, happy, and well-balanced.
  
  

"Sit"

• "Sit" is one of the easiest behaviors to train and can be used in all kinds of situations. If your dog gets overexcited when meeting new people, ask him to sit and ask the people to ignore him until he is sitting calmly before petting him. If your dog jumps on you, ask her to sit and give her a treat when she does. To teach a dog to sit, hold a treat in front of your dog and slowly move it back and forth over his head. The natural instinct is for your dog to sit in order to follow the treat with his nose. As soon as he sits, say "good sit" and give him the treat. Repeat until he understands what you are asking for and obeys your command almost every time.
  
  

"Down"

• "Down" is another essential for your dog to learn. To teach "down," put your dog in a sit and hold a treat in front of her. Slowly move the treat toward the ground and away from your dog, in an L shape. Your dog should lie down to reach the treat. When she lies down, say "good down" and give her the treat. Repeat this enough and your dog will understand the command "down."
  
  

"Stay"

• "Stay" is a useful command for your dog to learn. If your dog knows "stay," you can effectively keep him out of a forbidden room or away from people who may not like dogs. Put your dog on a long, 15-foot leash and take him outside. Put him in a sit or a down position and put your hand in front of his face, with your palm open and facing him. Say "stay" and take a step back. If he stays, walk back to him and give him the treat. It's a good idea to have a word to release him from a stay, such as "okay." Say this every time so he knows that it is his release word. Build up the distance and duration of the stay and add in distractions, such as other dogs or people walking by.
  
  

"Come"

• "Come" is one of the most essential commands in dog training. It can save your dog's life if she runs away from you or is about to step on or eat something dangerous. To teach "come," first put your dog in a sit/stay or a down/stay position on her 15-foot leash. Walk a few feet away from her and say her name, followed by "come." Try to use an excited voice whenever you call her to you to encourage her. If she comes straight to you, give her a treat. If she gets distracted, decrease the distance and use an even more excited voice. You may have to clap or act as if you're running away and want her to chase you if she does not come the first time. Gradually increase the distance until she will come to you from anywhere.