Canine Manners 101: The Introduction to 慡it?- How to teach your dog to sit

Canine Manners 101: Teaching Your Dog To Sit

Sit is one of the commands we often ask of our dogs, and thankfully it is one of the easiest to teach correctly! It is a very natural movement for most dogs, thus they catch on to the behavior quickly. However, we sometimes see people using unnecessarily forceful methods to enforce the 搒it?behavior. Pushing a dog抯 bottom to the ground is not an effective way to teach a sit and can actually cause orthopedic issues.

The concept: Your dog抯 bottom follows his head. Use this to your advantage.

Step 1 - Start with your dog in a standing position in front of you. Be prepared with a pocketful of yummy treats.

Step 2 - Hold the treat between your fingers and move it just above your dog抯 nose, up, and slightly forward (away from you, towards your dog抯 tail).

Step 3 - The path of the treat should be such that if your dog follows his nose he will end up in a sit position before he even knows how he got there. The *instant* this happens give the treats and lavish praise, i.e. 揼ood SIT!?/p>

Remember to train in short sessions (5-10 minutes) at least a couple times a day, and always make it a fun game for your dog! Rewards and tons of praise make training something your dog will look forward to.

Troubleshooting:

If your pup attempts to mouth your hand or is having trouble focusing, this is not a good time for training. Take her out for a good play session and then try again. She shouldn抰 be full of energy when you are trying to teach a new command.

If you are holding the treat too high above your dog抯 head he may attempt to jump at the treat instead of lowering himself towards the ground. Try lowering your hand.

If your pup is moving backwards for the treat, you may want to try training sessions against a wall or a piece of stationary furniture, so she has no room for backing up.

If he isn抰 interested enough in the treats you抮e using to follow their lead, try training before a meal, when he抯 sure to be hungry. Also consider using very soft, meaty treats, as these will be the most appealing.

Canine Manners 101 Training Series

• Greeting Guests Properly
• The Come Command
• The Sit Command
• The Down Command
• The Watch Me Command
• The Stay Command
• The Interrupt Command
• The Hurry Up Command
• The Drop It Command
• The Leave It Command
• Teaching Polite Leash Skills
• Take Treats Gently