basic obedience is a must for all canine citizens more so for pets in cities as they live in confined spaces and interact with more humansdogs namethe first thing your puppy should learn is herhis name it means that your pet must respond by looking at you when you call out herhis name the easiest way to teach that is by offering a treat or praise read good boygirl each time she looks at you regardless of whether you call out your pets name or not your dog will soon learn that making eye contact is worth herhis while once she makes eye contact add the name just prior to himher making eye contact follow it either by a treat or praise this way your pet learns that the sound of herhis name paired with eye contact results in a treat or praise remember not to use herhis name while disciplining especially when youngcomethe come command is one of the most important exercises you must teach your dog a dog who moves reliably when called can be called out of lifethreatening situations like running across roads while chasing another animalball a dog that doesnt come when called can also get lost if she manages to run off from the house or is loose from the leash during a walkinside and outside the house it is important to train your dog to have a reliable recall command this command allows your dog to be called away from potentially dangerous situationsstaya dog which can be trusted to stay in a particular spot can be a big help in situations where a door is left open or a leash or collar breaks during a walksitwhile walking on the street it is a good idea to train your dog to sit where a street and sidewalk meet this way you will avoid himher trotting into the street when a vehicle is moving towards himdownpet parents can avoid dangerous situations by asking their dogs to get down when something dangerous approaches them it gives them time to reach their dogs and save themhuzannah banajee is a dog trainer therapist with inputs from delano henriques dog trainer and malaika fernandestips to motivate your petchoose the most valuable reward the key is to find out what drives your dog a little crazy it can be a toy a praise or a valuable treat once you know what works it can be used to train herhimtrain your dog at home first its essential to find out whether your pet is comfortable in her environment so begin by having his training sessions at home where he feels secure and safe to give you his undivided attentionkeep distractions to a minimum train him in a place where there are not many distractions so that your intended reward should be the only onemalaika fernandes canine behaviouristwwwdogsandpupsmagazinecom wwwfacebookcomdogsandpupsmag are you a proud pet parent have a cute cat story to share maybe your guinea pig is giving you trouble whatever