Down Command
This will probably be the most complicated of the five basic commands to teach. Place your dog in the sit position, kneel down next to him and place your right hand under his front legs and your left hand on his shoulders. As you say "down," gently push his front legs out into the down position. Once you have him down, talk gently to him, stroke his back so that he will be comfortable and then praise him.
Recall (come) Excercise
Always practice the come command on-leash. You can't afford to risk failure or your puppy will learn that he does not have to come when called. He must learn to come reliably. Once you have your pup's attention, call him from a short distance and give a treat when he comes to you. Gently grasp and hold his collar with one hand as you dispense the treat. This is important. You will eventually phase out the treat and switch to only hands-on praise. This maneuver also connects holding his collar with coming and treating, which will assist you in countless future behaviors. Do 10 or 12 repetitions two or three times a day. Once the pup has mastered come, continue to practice daily to imprint this most important behavior onto his puppy brain.
Practice Makes Perfect
Daily obedience practice is another lifetime dog rule. Dogs will be dogs, and, if we don't maintain their skills, they will sink back into sloppy, inattentive behaviors that will be harder to correct. Incorporate these basic commands into your daily routine, and your dog will remain a gentleman of whom you can be proud.
Keep sessions short, no longer than 10 minutes at first, so your puppy won't get bored or lose his enthusiasm. In time, he will be able to concentrate for longer periods. Watch for signs of boredom and loss of attention. Vary the exercises to keep his enthusiasm level high. Always keep your training sessions positive and upbeat. Use lots of praise, praise and more praise! Never train your dog or puppy if you are in a grumpy mood. You will lose patience and he will think it is his fault. That will reverse any progress the two of you have made.
A big part of training is patience, persistence and routine. Teach each command the same way every time. Do not lose your patience with the dog, as he will not understand what you are doing, and reward him for doing his command properly. You will find that your Rottweiler puppy will learn these commands very quickly. Your friends, when they come to your house for a dinner party, will also appreciate a well-behaved dog who will not jump up on them or land in their laps while they are having cocktails.
Next step: Training Overview
Reprinted from Breeders Best: Rottweiler © 2004. Permission granted by Kennel Club Books, an imprint of BowTie Press.
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