5 Things To Train Your Dog To Avoid Deadly Dangers

A Guest Post by Amber Kingsley

Having a dog that “plays dead” is fun for family gatherings, but what about other commands? Teaching your pooch a few cornerstone commands is vital in keeping your furry loved one from dangers.

Does your dog have laser focus? How about sitting at street corners? These are some of the things you absolutely need to teach your dog to keep him or her safe. According to Cesar Millan, “Discipline isn’t about showing a dog who’s boss; it’s about taking responsibility for a living creature you have brought into your world,”

You may have a couple tricks and commands you and your dog have been working on to avoid deadly dangers. The following are a simply few more to consider for your next pooch training session.

Train Your Pup to Heel

Keeping your pup safely by your side, whether on a leash or not, is paramount to his or her safety. This makes the “heel” command a must in order to avoid deadly dangers outside of the home.

There are two approaches when teaching your dog to heel. The first is the classic obedience class method, when your pooch’s head remains attentively even with your leg when walking.

The other method is slightly less strict. You simply use the command, “heel” if your dog gets a little too far from your side. It is simply about personal preference and the relationship of obedience you’re forging with your furry best friend.

Train Your Pooch to Sit at Street Corners

Many dogs don’t understand the dangers of streets, since cars and traffic are human problems. However, training your pooch to sit at street corners is vital to avoid deadly dangers.

To train your dog to sit at street corners, make curbside a treat dispensary. The curb will be your pooch’s cue to sit, and once he or she follows the cue, a treat is earned.

You may think that this training tip is only for large breeds, but it is even more important for smaller dogs too. Most pooch owners that live in the city have smaller dog breeds, like Jack Terriers, or a Bichon Frisé. Training these smaller breeds to sit at busy intersections helps them avoid deadly city dangers.

This may take a few attempts, but after a couple walks, your pup will be sitting at every corner, even without a command. You can even go a step further, adding the command, “cross” to signal that only you decide when it is safe to enter into the street.

 

Train Your Dog to have Laser Focus

Dogs large and small absolutely love making poor decisions on a whim. Birds, other dogs, and the unfortunate postal employee can draw the attention of your pooch, making him or her lose all control.

In order to avoid deadly dangers, train your dog to give you their undivided attention using the command, “focus.” This command lets your pooch know that they should be 100 percent focused on you, regardless of the family of ducks walking pond side at the park.

If you see a foolhardy trigger approaching, or a danger ahead, you can attain laser focus from your dog. Once you have their attention, you can follow up with a command to keep the fur ball safe.

Laser focus is also great for that cute pup photo session too. Truly a desired trick all pet owners covet.

 

Train Your Dog to Leave It

If you think about it, there are a lot of deadly dangers to avoid when out on a walk with your dog. From plastic debris to dead birds and other small animals, pups have a knack for tasting everything in their path.

You simply can’t be too careful, since people use pesticides and poisons regularly around their homes and businesses. Training your dog to just “leave it” is important for them to stay healthy and happy.

Using the “leave it” command begins in the home. Maybe your pooch loves your dirty socks, or has a taste for your running shoes like mine. Use the command sternly and remember to always be consistent to not confuse your dog.

 

Train Your Pooch to Stay

Training your dog to stay is certainly a staple for all pet owners. However, how many pups actually do it? The command “stay” is possibly one of the most important to avoid deadly dangers for your dog.

It is a security command, telling your dog to not move, regardless of where you are, or might go. It prevents your pooch from walking into any hazards, such as broken glass in the kitchen, or into traffic.

Proper obedience is essential to keeping your dog safe. You may have a few of the above tricks and commands already implemented. However, it is also good to evaluate their effectiveness too. What commands do you use to steer your dog from danger?