Most first-time dog owners start training wrong — not because they're bad owners, but because nobody tells them where to start.

Here's the exact order I teach every single dog:

1. "Look at me" (attention command)

Before your dog can learn anything, they need to learn to focus on you. Hold a treat near your eyes. The second they make eye contact, mark it ("yes!") and reward. Do this 10 times. That's session one.

2. "Sit"

This is the gateway command. Once a dog learns sit, they understand the game — do the thing, get the reward. Lure with a treat above their nose, moving it back toward their ears. Their butt goes down naturally. Mark and reward instantly.

3. "Stay"

This is where most people rush it and fail. Start with 2 seconds. Literally two seconds. Then reward. Build up slowly — 5 seconds, 10 seconds, 30 seconds over days, not minutes.

Why this order? Because each command builds on the last. Attention → action → self-control. Skip the attention step and everything else takes 3x longer.

The biggest mistake? Training for too long. 5 minutes is a full session for a puppy. Quit while they're still excited, not after they've checked out.

I put together a full starter pack with step-by-step guides for every common command and behavior issue. Check it out if you want the complete system.