How To Teach Your Dog To Sit
Owning a dog is fun, but it also comes with many responsibilities. One of the most important responsibilities you have as an owner is dog training. “Sit” is among the most basic and important commands. These tips will help you learn how to teach your dog to sit.
1. Assign a Command and Signal
When teaching the sit command, and other commands, it is a good idea to assign both a verbal command and a signal. A hand signal will come in handy when it is loud and your pooch cannot hear you, and a verbal command works well when your pup cannot see you. Begin by teaching your pup to sit using the verbal command and signal together. More than likely, you will use the word “sit” as the verbal command. A suggestion for a hand signal would be a hand or finger held over your pup’s head.
2. Show Your Pup What You Want
Dogs, in general, want to please their owners. This will work in your favor as you teach your pooch the sit command. For any type of dog training to work, however, you must show your pup what you want him or her to do.
To teach the sit command, you will want to get your pup’s attention by saying his or her name, then clearly give a verbal command and hand signal. A hand or finger held over your pup’s head is a great hand signal since your pup will be more likely to sit down when he or she looks up. Immediately after giving the verbal command and hand signal, gently place the pooch in a sit position by placing light pressure on his or her backside. Praise your pup immediately and then repeat.
3. Praise
There are many ways to praise a pup. A cheerful “good pup!” and petting is great immediately following a command and action. For additional reward and motivation, each pooch is different and will respond to different types of praise. If your pup loves to play ball, a game of fetch following a training session might work best for you. If your pup is motivated by food, then treat training will be best for your pet. The key is to keep training positive, praise your pet consistently, and gently correct your pup when he or she disobeys. Correction should only be used, however, after your pup has learned a command, never before he or she understands what you are asking of him or her.
A well trained pooch is a happy one. Your pup will be a well behaved part of the family, and will be able to accompany you to more places when he or she is well trained. Use these tips to begin with a simple sit, and you will progress smoothly from there.