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There are six basic obedience behaviors that every family dog should learn in their lifetime. Life with a dog becomes much simpler when your dog listens to you and your family members. And besides teaching your dog these skills may potentially save his life someday. This article is for anyone who has a family dog and wants him to obey certain commands.

 Studies have demonstrated how basic obedience training can help to lower the risk of a dog biting and other bad behaviors. Obedience training teaches you how to reinforce good behaviors and how to eliminate the bad behaviors.

 The six basic obedience behaviors are:

 1. Heel and walking on a loose leash. The difference between the two is that when a dog is heeling he is walking directly to your left side and following you every step whereas walking on a loose leash means that the dog can walk anywhere around you as long as there is no tension on the leash. Heeling is one of the most important obedience behaviors that you must train in any obedience training class.

 2. Sit and sit by your side. The sit command is very important because it allows you to have control over your dog whenever you want to. He cannot jump up or bother someone if you get him to sit down. Getting your dog to sit by your side is also an obedience skill that is highly effective. It allows you to begin your training sessions with more control over your dog and to get him to easily focus on you.

 3. Down and down stay. Teaching your dog to lie down is very effective at controlling the dog since he has to get out before he can do anything else. And when you train this behavior it is very easy to tell when the dog is about to stand from the down position which makes it easy to reprimand the dog. The best thing about teaching your dog to lie down is that it also allows you to teach the stay command.

 4. Leave it. A very important but sometimes neglected command is to teach your dog to leave a certain distraction alone. Let's say you are walking down the road and your dog suddenly looks at a squirrel, telling your dog to leave it would instruct the dog to ignore the squirrel and to keep walking.

 5. Look at me. There is no other skill more important than your dog's attention on you. If you plan on participating in any type of dog show or dog sport then you will need your dog to look at you for information. This behavior is easily trained by constantly rewarding the dog for looking at you and at your face.

 6. Quiet. Another obedience training skill is to teach your dog to be quiet and to stop barking when instructed to. This is great when you have somebody delivering something at your house and you don't want your dog barking the entire time that they are there.

Getting a dog for the first time is a joyous occasion. It's amazing to see how a dog or puppy can truly change someone's life for the better. They are great at keeping you company and giving you unconditional love and attention. That's why it's important that when you take the responsibility of owning a dog for the first time, you should be fully stocked on the essential items your animal needs to be healthy and happy.

If you're a new pet owner or are thinking about owning a dog for the first time, here are 5 things that you need to ensure the health and vitality of your beloved creature.

1) Bedding. It's good to train your animal to sleep in a certain place. By getting them their own bed, especially if it's a dog, you can curb habits like lying on furniture. It's often extremely frustrating to train an animal who is already in the habit of sleeping on the bed or couch, to lie in their own space. That's why it's best to start off on the right foot when you introduce them to your home and get them in the habit of lying on their own bed. Crate training may be a good option, if you're new puppy just isn't staying put at night.

2) A Sturdy Leash. Getting your dog a sturdy leash that allows you to control him or her easily, without putting either of you through any discomfort is crucial. Many people like retractable leashes because they allow the dog explore, without pulling you along for the ride. If you're looking to keep your animal on a short lease, a traditional nylon leash is a great choice. They are sturdy and can support even the largest, strongest dogs without breaking.

3) Toys. Dog toys are crucial to keeping your new dog from chewing on things they shouldn't. They not only occupy their time while in the house, they train them to only play with things that are rubbery and squeaky. Raw hide bones are another option. They are great for maintain proper dental hygiene and dogs love them. Even the most hyper dog will sit for hours on end, until they've eaten every bit of a rawhide.

4) Pet Health Insurance. Your dog is going to need to go the vet to get regular shots and check ups. This is where dog insurance comes in handy. Dog insurance allows you to get you pet the medical treatment they need without making you go broke. Many different breeds of dogs are prone to get certain illnesses that require extra veterinary attention and the only affordable way to get your pet this extra veterinary attention is to get pet health insurance. This may seem like a luxury item, but dog health insurance and cat health insurance are becoming increasingly more popular among pro-active animal owners.

5) Heartworm Pills and Flea Medication. These two items are extremely important in keeping your pet safe and healthy for a long time. Flea medication is crucial to not only your animal, but to your home. A flea infestation is extremely hard to get rid of, so why not just nip it in the bud and have your pet on a flea medication regimen. Heartworm pills are also essential in keeping your pet healthy and happy for a long time. They may be expensive without a pet insurance plan, so if you really want to get the best deal, opt for dog health insurance.