Teaching your dog to follow your commands is crucial for every dog owner. "Sit" is one of the most useful commands for dogs. Anyone who has ever tried to teach a dog to sit can attest that it is no easy task.
However, training your pup is not difficult if you know when to tweak your approach. If it is hard for you to manage and teach your dog essential commands like sitting, this article will help you.
Steps to Make Your Dog Learn to Sit
Here is a step-by-step guide to teaching your dog to sit:
Step 1: Hold a treat in front of your dog’s nose and move it sideways, up and down. Your dog will follow the treat with their eyes and head. Keep doing this until they sit down.
Step 2: When your dog sits down, say sit in a sharp voice tone. Do not move the treat after you say this word, as it will confuse the dog.
Step 3: If your dog gives no reaction, put the treat on the floor in front of them and say sit again. If the dog does not respond, gently push the rear end down until they sit down on their own accord.
Step 4: When your dog finally sits down, give the treat immediately. Then repeat steps 1-3 again if needed until they get used to sitting when you command.
Once your dog has mastered sitting with treats, minimize the use of treats. Use them only as a reward for perfect behaviour or for introducing new commands.
5 Tips to Train Dogs to Sit
Choose a Command Word
Choose a word that will not be confused with other words in your household — for example, say sit instead of down or stay. Ensure everyone in the house agrees on what this word means to avoid confusion when training begins.
Establish a Training Environment
Choose an indoor location with few distractions, such as a room free from garbage cans and other objects that might tempt your puppy. Also, you want a quiet area where there are no other dogs or people.
Keep your training sessions short but frequent — five minutes at a time is enough for most dogs. The key is consistency; if you train your dog every day at the same time, your dog will learn what it means when you give him the signal (the word sit).
Make Your Dog Feel Comfortable
Dogs learn best when relaxed and happy, so start by making your dog feel comfortable in their training environment, whether inside or outside. Give them lots of praise and affection when they do something good. Offer plenty of time for naps and playtime.
Use Treats and Appreciation
Since dogs have a strong association with good things and food, trainers often use treats as rewards when teaching a dog new behaviour. Also, react with appreciating behaviours or responses when they do it right.
Use Hand Signals Along With Verbal Cues
Some dogs do not respond well to verbal commands alone, so it is helpful to give them hand signals, especially when you are in a crowded and noisy area.
Obeying commands does not come easy to a few breeds. However, you will successfully train your dog if you take small steps daily.
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Feature Image Source - Pixabay
