The Secret To “Sit!” – Saving Your Dog’s Life With One, Easy Command
by Corson Strand
Filed under Dogs
The “sit” command is not only one of the easiest and most enjoyable commands to begin teaching your pet but is essential for the safety of your puppy. This command saves dog’s lives everyday by preventing them from hurling themselves obliviously into traffic and certain death. Teaching the command is fun way for you and your new dog to get to know each other; please be sure to do it well.
The two methods I’m going to suggest in this short article are used by many trainers and reliably produce the desired behavior. If you are starting with a young puppy, begin training at about 8 weeks. Set a training regimen that you adhere to as regularly as possible, and always carry out the training in the same way. Always be gentle and firm, and you must be prepared to have inexhaustible patience and willingness to repeat as often as necessary for your dog to understand.
This is important because the sameness and predictability will make your dog feel secure and confident. When training a puppy, or any other dog, always be prepared to repeat a routine or step many times just as if each time were the first. Always be patient and gentle, and of course be generous with praise and follow good behavior with an occasional treat.
Method 1
Catch your pet’s attention. Say its name and present a treat. The way to do this is to hold the treat a little in front and just above the animal’s nose. Now, slowly move the treat up and backward over its head. You dog will try to watch the treat, and as it follows the motion over its head, it will naturally lower its rear end into a sitting position. As the dog assumes the correct position, you utter the command “sit,” and offer a piece of kibble as a reward.
Now, you will need to repeat this. You might set a 10 or 15 minute training period each day. As your puppy begins to understand, you will find that your dog will respond to the hand motion and you can begin rewarding with praise instead of a treat. In all training, you want to wean the dog away from treat rewards. Plan on spending a couple of weeks with this for reliably consistent obedience.
Method 2
This method is similar, but you will need to position your dog on your left, and you may want to have it on a leash. Here, you hold a treat in front of your dog, say “sit,” and then gently press down on its hind quarters. When the dog sits, give it praise and a tiny piece of the treat. If you have your puppy leashed, then a gentle tug up on the leash accompanied by gentle push on the dog’s rear will also cause it to sit. Be sure to give the “sit” command and reward with praise and a treat.
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