Who should learn it?

All dogs benefit from learning basic Obedience and manners. It makes the whole environment around the dog more pleasant if they aren’t bouncing off visitors, busting through opening doors, and generally making a spectacle of themselves. It’s bad when you see a small dog with no manners terrorizing the community, but it becomes a whole different object when it’s an American Pit Bull Terrier doing it.

The objective behind training is to make your dog more manageable and easier to work with, while at the same time showing others that these dogs do respond to training, and that they can live safely around others.

Is my dog the right age to learn basic obedience?

It’s an old wives’ tale that old dogs can’t learn new tricks. And puppies are perfectly capable of learning these things as well. Just use common sense. Don’t try to teach advanced concepts to a puppy just starting out, and don’t expect an older dog who hasn’t been worked with to snap to with the vigor of a dog who is used to being trained. School yourself to patience, and things will start to click after a while.

Dogs of all ages can learn basic obedience.

What words should I use?

It is entirely up to you what words you use to cue a behavior. Some people opt to train their dogs in German. You could train your dog to respond to hand signals, whistles, or anything that strikes your fancy. Just make sure its something that you’ll be able to remember in a pinch.

Should I use food to train my dog?

Some people prefer not to train with food. I personally like to use good, smelly treats when training. Yes, you will have to decrease the treats as you go along so as not to make the dog entirely dependent upon them. However, when first instilling a behavior, food can be useful to lure the dog into the action that you’re looking for, and also to reward then once they’ve completed the maneuver. Some dogs have a higher drive for toys over food, and that can be utilized as well, by keeping a toy in your pocket rather than treats.

Should I go to Obedience classes with my dog?

Some APBT owners are afraid to attend classes, because they feel that their dog will embarrass them, or that they won’t be able to handle the dog aggression. I am a firm believer that every dog benefits from a well-structured Obedience class. Find a savvy trainer in your area, and sign up. Tell them in advance if you feel your dog might be problematic, and they will advise you as to the best course of action. Some might offer private lessons, or simply use more caution with this dog in class. But either way, don’t let fear of failure stop you from trying in the first place.

General rules of thumb

1. Keep training sessions short. 15 minutes is plenty for an adult dog, and maybe as few as 5 minutes for a puppy. You can always have a second session later in the day, or revisit your lessons tomorrow.
2. Curb your frustration. If you’re having a hard time imparting a particular lesson, take a break and play with your dog, or brush up on something he/she already knows.
3. Always quit while you’re ahead. That keeps the training fresh and new, rather than allowing it to become a dull grind. Finishing strong will allow your dog to feel good about the training.
4. Never forget to praise. If there’s one lesson you take away from this, let it be that one. If your dog does something successfully, don’t take it for granted. They’ve got to want to perform, and you build that drive through praise and reward.
5. If all else fails, seek professional help. As said, I am a firm believer in Obedience classes for every dog. They do not train the dog, but rather teach you to train the dog. There is always something new to be learned in the world of training.

Commands

Release word

Before I touch on how to train individual commands, I wanted to mention that it’s a good idea to have a release word. This is basically a word that cues your dog that the exercise is over, and they are free to move around and do as they please. Without a release word, you pretty much leave your dog hanging, and wondering when they’re done. If you never teach a dog when they’re allowed to break free from a command, then they may start trying to figure it out on their own, and they may pick an inopportune time to stop working.

For example, when training the stay with my experienced adult dog, I can bend down and pet her, and she should not move. I can leave the room, walk around the back of her, drop things on the floor, and she will stay where I put her. However, when I give my release word – in our case, “okay” – she knows the exercise is over and she is free to jump up and be herself.

A release word should be a happy thing. When I say “okay,” I say it in an upbeat voice and throw my hands up or clap. In a way, the release word becomes a reward in itself. Your dog will wait intently to hear it, and many dogs will jump around and wag their tails in celebration once released. And so it becomes a positive thing, while at the same time creating a clear end to the command.

Sit

The most basic of basic commands is the “sit.” Your dog will need to know this if you intend to try for a Canine Good Citizen (CGC) title, or any kind of advanced obedience.

There is a relatively easy way to teach the “sit” which doesn’t require much in the way of man-handling, and works for dogs of all ages. With your dog in front of you, close a treat in your hand, and wave that hand in front of your dog’s nose, so they smell the treat. Then move the treat above the dog’s head. The idea here is that the dog will want to follow the treat, and that as their head moves up, their butt will move down. As soon as you see the dog starting to move into a sit, give your “sit” command, and then praise when the butt hits the floor and give them the treat.

Some dogs will rear up and try to paw/mouth the hand. If this happens, it likely means that you’ve moved the treat up too high. Break it off and try again, keeping the treat a few inches above the dog’s nose.

Down

Laying down is another thing your dog will need to know for the CGC title, and like the sit, has its uses. I use the “down” command while I am eating, to allow my dogs to stay in the vicinity without appearing to beg for food.

Similar to the method used to teach the Sit, you can use a lure technique to teach the down. (It’s a good idea to start training this trick while kneeling or sitting, since you’re going to be spending some time on the floor.) Once again close a treat within your hand, but this time you’re going to move down with it. Bring it down to the floor and hold it there. Your dog will likely paw and lick at your hand, but once they realize that that’s not going to get the treat, they will most likely lay down. Treat and praise.

Try to avoid forcing your dog into the down position. Many attempt to teach it by pressing down on the dog’s back, and that can put pressure on sensitive areas. It also tends to make your dog push back, rather than lay down. Remember, you want your dog to look forward to training, not fear it. If they come to the conclusion to lay down on their own, it will stick with them more readily than if they were forced into it.

Come

“Come,” aka the recall is one of the most important things you should teach a dog. It is as it sounds, calling a dog to come to you. In competition Obedience, the dog should return to a position directly in front of you and sit. By contrast, an informal recall would simply involve your dog returning to within arms-length of the handler. If you are planning on doing competition Obedience later, you might want to have a different command for your formal and informal recalls. I personally opt for a “here” for informal recall, and “come” for the formal recall. For the purpose of this page, I will talk about training the informal recall.

The trick to teaching the recall is to make yourself the most exciting thing in your dog's world. Never call your dog to you for punishment, because you are basically punishing them for obeying your command! Practice using an upbeat voice, and always praise successful completion of a recall. It is a good idea to start out using a long-line if you’re going to be doing this exercise in an open area. Keep a handful of treats and/or a toy in your pocket.

I like to go out in the yard with my young dogs and let them start to sniff around and get interested in other things. Then I give the command “Dog here!” When they look my way, I hold up my hand to show them that I’ve got something. As my dogs are all highly food-motivated, this usually results in a fairly speedy recall, and then they get a treat. Some dogs will get so engrossed in whatever they’re doing that they may require a leash pop to break their attention on the distraction. But once the dog starts understanding that a recall gets them a cookie, you can make a game out of it, kind of like tag with the dog being "it." Have fun with it, and your dog will have fun training with you.

One technique that can be employed if you’re having a hard time seizing your dog’s attention from a distance is the equivalent of canine reverse psychology. Call your dog, and then run away! Wave your arms and squeal if you must. When critters run, dogs chase. From your dog's perspective, this makes perfect sense. Just don’t forget to praise when they "catch" you.

A good recall is something all dogs should know

Stay

“Stay” – i.e., wait where you are and I will come back for you – is a very good thing for dogs to know. It is useful in an emergency situation, if you need your dog to stop where it is and wait for a cue from you. It also makes some things more convenient, such as taking pictures, or putting your dog out of the way while you bring in groceries.

When you first teach the stay, it’s a good idea to have your dog on a leash or long-line. You will want to be able to stop the dog from leaving the area if they do break position. When you’re first starting out, you are going to be right next to your dog, but you will gradually move further away, and you’re going to need to be in a position where you can still stop your dog from wandering away.

To teach the stay, start by putting your dog in whatever position you choose (sitting, standing, laying down, etc.) “Down” tends to have the least risk of breaking away, but don’t use the same position every time, because you want your dog to learn that no matter what they’re doing, stay means stay. Once you have your dog in position, give the stay command, but don’t go anywhere! Wait 5 seconds and treat your dog while it is still in the same position. (If you praise after the dog has already broken position, you are working against yourself.)

Spend some time working on the stay at that distance and time, and then up the stakes. Take one step back, then two, then four. Wait 5 seconds, then 10, then 20. But always remember to walk back and treat while your dog is still in position. And don’t work stays for an extended period of time, as it is already a boooooring exercise for a dog. There will be plenty of time to go further the next day, or even after dinner.

If your dog breaks position, don’t chase them down with a pitchfork. You can give a verbal correction, but don’t overdo it. Walk calmly over, take your dog by the collar, and put them back in position. Give your command to “stay” again, and redo the exercise, but decrease the time/distance. (If your dog is consistently breaking, it probably means that you’re asking for too much too quickly.)

A few things about working stays: First, don’t stare. Staring leads to fidgeting. (“Why is she staring at me? What am I doing wrong? Maybe I should do something else.”) I was taught to pick a spot on the wall behind my dog and stare at that instead. This way, I can keep the dog in my field of vision without making them twitchy.

Also, proof the dog against distractions as you go along. If you have a training buddy, get them to work their dog in the area, but not so close as to invade your dog’s space. Try dropping a toy, sock, or something else as you walk away from the dog. Try putting your dog on a stay, and then walking behind them. (If you get to competition level, your dog will need to accept you walking around the back of them as you finish the exercise and return to heel position. So it’s never too early to start teaching this.) Use your imagination, and don’t be afraid to mix it up as you go along.

Wait

“Wait” is a different command than stay, at least in my training regimen. The easiest way to explain the difference is as follows:

Wait: Stay where you are, and then I will release you to come to me.
Stay: Stay where you are, and then I will return to you.

In other words, “wait” is the kind of command you’d give your dog before you walked away to begin a recall exercise, as you're going to call them out of it in a moment. While with "stay," you want your dog to know they're in it for the long haul, so they're not anticipating another command until you return to them.

Despite the difference in intent, “Wait” is taught much the same as “stay.” However, when teaching the wait, you can clap your hands or call your dog out of position, rather than returning to them. If you are consistent, your dog will learn the difference.

Heel

Heeling can be one of the trickier things to teach with this breed, because they have a tendency to go go go and drag their owners along with them. Some owners choose not to teach this at all, because they are afraid of killing the dog’s drive. Being taught to behave does not kill their drive; it simply makes handling them easier, and it looks better when out in public.

You can use whatever equipment you feel comfortable with. I prefer a 6’ leather lead and choke collar when teaching, but you may prefer to use a flat or prong collar, or a different length/type leash. Go with what you’re the most at ease with.

​

Start with your dog on a leash and sitting at your left side. This is heel position, and you want to teach your dog that heel is “home base” in a manner of speaking. This is the position that brings the most reward. I use a lot of treats when teaching the heel, and prefer to use a lure method. Take a treat and close it in your left hand. You will also need to feed the leash through your left hand, and roll up the remainder of it in your right hand. Give your dog a few feet of wiggle room, but not enough so that they will be able to move away and browse the ground as you work. (It can take some time to learn to manage the equipment, but it will get easier as you go.) The treat is the focus and the reward, and the leash maintains position and allows you to correct the dog.

Remember to start with the dog sitting at your left. Give him/her the right “picture” to start off with. Give your command, “Dog, heel!” in an upbeat voice, and start walking. As you walk, show the dog the treat. Bring it down in front of the dog’s nose, but not so close that they can snatch it. It will not be perfect at first – some dogs will bounce to try and get the treat, or swing their butts around — but the key is to keep the dog’s attention on you, and keep them in the right general position. Competition heeling is much more stringent, but for the basics, if your dog walks on a loose leash at your side, they’re doing pretty good.

Don’t walk very far, or you will risk your dog losing focus on the task. Take a few steps and then treat. Take a few more and then treat. (Remember to use your heel command every time you start moving.) Use the leash to correct the dog when they move too far out of heel position, or start sniffing the ground, and then immediately show them the treat to get them to refocus. (Don’t go overboard with corrections. It is easier to work with an overly exuberant dog that just needs some guidance than it is to work with a dog that has been harshly corrected and has shut down.) If your dog is sniffing around too excessively, you may want to move to an area with fewer distractions, such as inside the house. Or, if you’ve been training on grass, move to concrete, which holds fewer smells and is less interesting. You can move back as the dog gets a better grasp of what you’re there to do.

As you start to go into turns with your dog – as opposed to walking a straight line – don’t be afraid to use the leash to guide them. On the left turn, you can give gentle pressure backwards on the leash to warn your dog that they need to slow down. On the right turn, you can jiggle the leash a bit or bring the treat down to get them to hurry up.

If your dog lags or moves wide as you do an about-turn (which is to your right), you can give a few quick jiggles of the lead to hurry them along, and then make sure you praise/treat for returning to position. One trick I’ve had success with for correcting lagging and wandering on the about-turn is to toss a treat out in front as you complete the turn. This teaches the dog that they want to hurry around that turn and catch back up, because a treat is coming.

If your dog starts to forge ahead, one technique you can use is simply to turn around and head in the other direction. They will hit the end of the leash and find themselves being pulled in a direction that they didn’t want to go. It will likely take time and repetition using this method to achieve results, but eventually they will learn that the only way they get to move forward is if they are at your side, rather than out in front of you. Remember to praise/treat when they’re in the right position, even if it’s only for a step or two.

A thought about teaching sits as you pause: It’s not necessary to have your dog sit every time you come to a stop. However, it can be beneficial to start molding that behavior now, as its something that is expected if you do decide to go into competition. It is also an additional measure of safety. Say, for example, you stop at a crosswalk with your dog in heel position. If he is in the habit of sitting and waiting for you to continue on, he’ll be less likely to pull forward into traffic. I prefer to teach the sit right off the bat, but it is up to you.

As with any exercise, don’t focus on running a marathon with your dog. Quit while you’re ahead, and leave your dog still wanting to train with you. It can take some time to mold a good heel, so don’t expect perfection right away. All dogs learn at different rates, so be prepared to adapt to your dog’s individual needs.

Go Place

This is a useful thing to teach a dog if you ever have company over and your dog tends to want to suck up all the attention. Your dog’s “place” can be a crate, a rug, a bed, anything you choose. And you can use whatever word you choose to teach this. “Go place,” “go to your pillow,” “go to bed,” whatever.

Again using the lure method, take a treat and guide your dog to their place, and then lure them into a down position. With them laying in their bed, on their rug, or whatever, give the treat, and then praise and pet them quietly. Practice this on a regular basis, and the dog will start to learn that good things come to dogs that stay out from underfoot.

Off

“Off” is a handy command if you ever need your dog to remove itself from the couch, bed, or similar places. It can also be used to direct a dog to remove their feet from barriers, people, etc.

When teaching the “off” with regard to putting feet in people, I simply turn to the side while giving the command. This causes the dog’s feet to slide off you and back to the floor, effectively pairing the action with the command. When they’re back on the floor, then you can reward them.

To teach the “off” in relation to furniture, simply use a toy or treat to lure the dog down from their throne. Reward when all four feet are on the floor.

Never reward bad behavior, such as jumping up.

Out

The “out” is a command to get a dog to release whatever is in its mouth. This can be a helpful thing to know when playing tug-of-war, or if your dog grabs something they shouldn’t have.

To teach the “out,” have two toys ready, or if your dog is more food-motivated, a toy and some treats. Start by having your dog tug on something, such as a rope toy. Get them engaged in the activity, and then give the “out” command. At the same time, stop tugging your end of the toy, to indicate you’re done playing the game. Some dogs will release automatically at the change of situation. If that happens, you can praise or treat. Then you can give your release word and start the game again.

If your dog still has its mouth on the toy, pull the second toy (or treat) out of your pocket and show it to them. The idea here is to teach the dog that you’re not taking something away from them, but rather offering a trade. As your dog starts to get the idea, you can make a game out of it. You can have the dog “out,” and then toss the second toy, then run and grab the first one, and start again.

Hand signals

As you train your dog, you may find that you naturally use certain gestures with certain commands. This can lead to a neat form of dog training: cuing behaviors with hand signals. It’s impressive to be able to gesture at your dog from across the room and have them respond with the correct behavior. Teaching hand signals is much the same as anything else; you just have to school yourself to be consistent. As you teach the dog that certain words indicate certain things, hand signals work the same way. Some dogs will learn hand signals without you even being aware you’re doing it.

Conclusion

This is just the tip of the iceberg as far as what your dog can learn. Some dogs soak up training like a sponge, and you can go much further than what I’ve listed here. Even if you only teach what is on this page, you will have put more effort into your dog than many owners even bother to, which is a great thing for breed ambassadors to take pride in. Do right by your dog, do right by the breed, and have fun training!