The two most important commands you can teach your dog are a solid Place Command and a reliable Recall Command. Sure, all of the commands you might learn in an obedience training program are important because ultimately all of the training is helping you to communicate better with your dog. The Place and Recall commands, however, can really save dog owners from a lot of stress and heartache!
The Place Command
I like to say that the Place Command is like a crate without the wire walls. Ultimately the Place Command can be used for all kinds of situations and different environments. It can be a designated rug, blanket, chair, couch, or really any object you would like to have your dog stay on for a particular time period. Your dog is taught to stay until given a release command. When we teach the Place, we want it to be fun for the dog and/or relaxing, so it’s important to make a positive association using food, toys, praise or whatever motivates the dog. Once this command is learned, there are several applications in which an owner can use the Place to help alleviate some stress due to a lack of restraint from their dogs. For example, you can have your dog go to their Place when guests come into the door. This alleviates any stress owners may have with their dogs jumping or rushing the door when guest come over. Another great application for the Place Command is when owners are eating a meal. Most dogs love to beg for food and get as close to the table as possible to capitalize on any food hitting the ground, and using the Place Command can keep your dog away from the table and away from eating inappropriate foods that may fall from the table. Probably the best part of the Place is that it can be used any where you want to take your dog; camping trips, visiting relatives, or traveling to public places. Wherever you can take your dog, the Place Command can be an owner’s best command taught!
A Reliable Recall Command
Another command that is considered by most trainers as being “The Most Important Command” would be the Recall, or otherwise known as Come. Imagine that when you told your dog to come, they came consistently no matter what! Whatever the distraction may be, being able to get your dog back to you is priceless! Having a reliable Recall Command can save you from the terrible tragedy of losing your dog or having them get hit by a car as they are running out into the road. Even if you have a fenced in yard, dogs can escape just about any confinement, especially if they want to chase another animal or get to something they find of interest. If this happens and you find your dog in the midst of chasing something or someone, you want the ability to get your dog to stop and return back to you. Through the proper training, you can have this, and again, it is priceless when considering the alternative of losing your dog!
Another aspect to having a reliable Recall Command with your dog is it gives you the ability to pretty much take your dog anywhere with the freedom of off leash control. If your dog understands what “Come” means and was trained under all types of distractions, then just imagine what freedom you and your dog will have outdoors. Being able to play fetch anywhere or see your dog really run off leash is amazing and so much fun for them! You’ll have the peace of mind as the owner to be able to get your dog back to you when it’s time to go home or time to leash back up!
As you can see, the Place and Recall Commands are so important in everyday life with your dog. We give so much time and spend so much money on trying to keep our dogs safe because we really love and value them! It i well worth your time and money to get the type of training that would teach your dog these lifesaving commands as well as other communications that can be taught to improve your life with your dog!
