You know a dog with good behavioral skills when you see them. They stand at attention, sit, and may even perform an impressive trick on command. More than that, they make life a lot easier on everyone around them.

But behavioral training is no simple task. It takes a lot of effort from everyone in the family, a good deal of patience, and a dog that is willing to learn. Although you should never assume that your dog can’t learn, there may be a point where professional help is needed.

But before you spend money on professional intervention, check out our below training tips and suggestions and see if they make the change you want to see in your pet. Also, be sure not to miss the suggestions for pet supplements from Pet Wellbeing with chaste tree and other natural ingredients found at the end of the article.

Starter Training Commands

The following are the first behavioral commands you should teach your dog. Each of these is useful for a variety of situations. Try to follow the instructions under each command. Repetition is key, as is patience. If your dog gets it wrong, start from scratch.

Sit

• Choose your dog’s favorite treat, but make sure it’s small so they don’t overeat.
• With the dog standing, place the treat close to their nose then move your hand up; their head should follow your hand until they move into a sitting position.
• Once they sit, say “sit” and give them the treat. Over time, they will associate the word with the action.

Stay

• Complete the “sit” command before trying the “stay” command.
• Instruct your dog to “sit,” then open your palm and say “stay.”
• Step back and if they stay, offer a treat and praise. Add more steps over time before you offer the reward.

Come

• Leash your dog and use the “stay” command. Then from a distance say “come” and gently pull on the leash. When they come, reward them with praise and a treat.
• With enough training, you should be able to remove the leash and use the “stay” and “come” command without much effort.

Down

• This is a challenging command because the position is seen as submissive by dogs; avoid creating a situation of anxiety or fear.
• Start by placing your hand to your dog’s snout and let them sniff (with a treat if possible.) Then move your hand to the floor. They should follow. Finally, slide your hand away from his body to encourage them to lay down.
• Once down, say “down” and give them praise and a treat.
• With this command, start to say “no” and take your hand away if your dog tries to sit up or lunges towards your hand. Also, avoid trying to force your dog into a down position.

Leave It

This important command comes in two parts. It is difficult to master so do your best to remain calm and practice each day.

Part 1

• Start by holding a treat in both hands. Show your dog one fist and say “leave it.”
• Your dog should try to get at the treat by licking, sniffing, mouthing, pawing, or barking; ignore these behaviors. When they stop, give them the treat from the other hand (the hand they weren’t focused on.)
• Repeat the exercise until your dog ignores the fist you present when saying “leave it.” Only give them the treat when they move away from the fist and turn their attention on you.

Part 2

• Use two different treats; one should be bland and the flavorful. Say “leave it” and place the less attractive treat on the floor and cover it with your hand.
• When your dog ignores the treat and looks at you, remove the treat from the floor and give them the better treat and offer praise.
• After mastering the above, say “leave it” and place the same bland treat on the floor but hover your hand just above the treat so your dog can see. Repeat this until you can get your hand 6 inches off the ground and they don’t go for the treat. Remember, only give them the better treat and not the bland treat.
• Now try standing and give the same “leave it” command. If they go for the treat, cover it with your foot. Work on this until they understand.

These tips came from the Cesar’s Way website. For more detailed information and other tips related to training your dog, head over there and have a look at their resources.

Supplements That Support A Good Dog

A well-trained and obedient dog also needs to be healthy. Pet health is something that can go overlooked because our dogs can’t tell us what they need.

Pet supplements may be useful in combination with regular visits to the veterinarian, exercise, and a healthy diet. During aging, our dogs face a lot of challenges, so supplements may be key to providing them the extra support they need from the age of being a puppy to a senior. As mentioned at the beginning of the article, this can include herbs like chaste tree that provide support for kidney health.

Kidney Support Gold contains chaste tree, cordyceps, and other complementary herbs that are believed to help support the many functions of the kidneys. These include blood filtration, the balance of electrolytes in the body, and the immune system. Most important, this supplement comes from Pet Wellbeing, a brand that specializes in quality ingredients and science-backed research.

A good dog is a happy dog is a happy family. With a little training, you can hopefully see a transformation in your dog. When your dog is under control, that may even help to lower stress and frustration around the household. Give some of the above tips a try and think about how a supplement with chaste tree from Pet Wellbeing may support you and your dog’s efforts.