Sit: pull up and back on the leash, while putting your fingers near the nose to pretend you have a treat. Once you have their attention, lift your fingers up above the head, to rock them into a sitting position. Say name and “Sit” firmly. *Once the dog knows sit, DO NOT REPEAT. SIT – NO- SIT. When you say, “No” pull back on leash with a quick snap on the leash, not a long pull.
If you need to push the butt down, push down on the hip bones near the tail and say, “Sit” firmly. Do not keep pushing the butt down after 1 – 1½ days.
Once they understand the command then say, Sit – No – Sit but don’t give up. Always make them do any command. They don’t know minutes but they do know a time frame, so if you give up one time, they are patient enough to wait longer, so eventually you will give up again.
Stay: once the dog sits, put your palm up and in front of face and say “STAY” firmly without name. Keep the dog on a stay longer each time (5secs, 10secs, 15secs, etc.). BE CONFIDENT THAT THE DOG WILL STAY!
*If the dog gets up from stay, say “NO” firmly and always bring them back to the same spot. Be consistent and firm because eventually they will give up and stay.
Come: take a few steps back at the same time as saying their name and “Come” firmly. As soon as they get up and come to you, give them plenty of praise; “Good boy or girl Come”.
*Keep moving back, so you can reel them in with the leash like a fishing line, so they come directly in front of you.
If they run past you then start backing up in the other directions, while repeating the Come command firmly.
*You need to keep this command positive because if you say “Come” then No, they will look at you and see it as a negative.
*As soon as your dog comes to you, always have them sit, so eventually it will become an automatic response. You can not reprimand the dog if they come to you and run right past you if you don’t make them sit because they did come to you. If your dog ignores you and does not come when called then you can pull the leash toward your chest and say “No, Come” then start backing up.