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Labrador Retrievers are intelligent and obedient dogs, making them easier to train in becoming good working and assistance dogs. But before any advance training, they should first master the basic dog commands. These basic dog commands are helpful in obedience training in order to come up with a desirable dog everyone loves. These basic commands are come, sit, down and stay.
Come Command
Training come command is easier when your dog is on leash and in a quiet setting to prevent the dog from being distracted. Say your dog's name firmly and slowly pull the dog toward you. As he begins to come forward, give the command "come" and praise him when he is right in front of you. Repeat the procedure until he has mastered it and responds to it immediately. Once mastered, you can then later increase the distance between you and your dog. Then try the command without leash in an enclosed place.
Sit Command
Training the sit command is best done with a leash. Place him on a leash in front of you, hold a treat in front of your dog's nose and move it upward. The head will move to follow your hand therefore pushing his rear to the ground. As soon as your dog begins to sit, give the command "sit". Praise him and give him the treat.
Down Command
The down command can be started with sit command. When your dog is in sitting position, hold his collar firmly with your one hand and have a treat on the other hand. Slowly move the treat from your dog's nose to the floor. Naturally, he will lower himself to follow your hand with the treat. Give the command "down" as he approaches the floor. Praise him and give him the treat.
Stay Command
The sit command can be started with a down command or sit command. When your dog is in down or sitting position, use your hand as a signal and say the word "stay". Slowly back away and if the dog begins to follow you, come back to the dog and give him the down or sit command again. Repeat the process until the dog can reliably stay where you want him to stay. It is better not to sue food as a reward in training this command because he may become too excited making him unable to stay.
When the command requires the aid of treats, it is advisable that the treats should be placed in a closed fist so that the dog can only smell but not see them. When the dog sees the treat before you give the command, he will learn only to obey when you have a food in your hands. It is just like bribing your dog to follow you. Labrador Retrievers are obedient dogs and you do not have force them to obey your command. Remember that dog training requires patience and of course a lot of praise.
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