If you want to take your dog on a course of obedience training, you should begin first and foremost with a few basic commands. One of the essential training tasks for most of the dog owners is how to teach a dog how to sit.
If your pooch can sit properly, it will serve as the bedrock for many other commands like “stay” or “shake,” amongst others.
All in all, several steps can be employed in teaching a dog how to sit.
However, for a better understanding, we are going to group these steps into categories. The training program “How to teach s dog how to sit” consists of four categories.
Some training routines are suitable for young puppies, while others are mostly useful to the older, lethargic dogs.
To sum up, there are four categories in teaching your dog to sit:
- Ensuring the training environment is conducive
- Introducing treats and rewards
- Using the leash if needed
- Capitalising on a dog’s natural demeanour
How To Teach A Dog How To Sit: Training Environment
Step 1: Introduce the training process gradually.
We all know that dogs are animals that lose focus easily. Any activity that is too long or too fast to grasp doesn’t go down well with them, and they’d end up not learning a thing.
During training, endeavour to allow your dog to have a few minutes of break.
This practice will help the dog to focus more during the actual training of how to teach a dog how to sit.
Step 2: Ensure the environment is conducive
It is essential to select an environment that is free of distractions and one that is comfortable for your dog.
At best, you can use one of your rooms. In the correct environment, you can better grab your dog’s attention and control his activities.
Also, ensure that people that are staying in the same house as you are aware that you will be having a training session with the dog.
This precaution will help stall any form of distraction that intruding would have caused.
Step 3: Avoid outdoor training at the initial stage
The fact is, during training stages, you should avoid sessions outdoors altogether.
When training outdoors, your dog is subjected to plenty of distractions and may struggle to manage or maintain his concentration.
However, if you cannot avoid training outdoors, ensure your dog is on a leash, or the area is secure. If not, your dog might run off during practice.
Another thing about outdoors training is that it makes the whole process much more exhausting for both you and your pet. Avoid it if you can.
Step 4: Understand your dog’s mood
As said earlier, dogs are easily bored and distracted. If you begin training, your dog might start strong before faltering some minutes later.
These mood swings are natural for dogs. Therefore, you must take a break for a few more minutes before continuing, as your dog may be overwhelmed or distracted.
All in all, make sure you always carry out training sessions in an environment with fewer distractions and make each training session short (5-10 minutes at most).
How To Teach A Dog How To Sit (Introducing The Treats)
Step 5: Prepare small treats
Dogs like to earn treats, and this part of the program is one they do not want to miss.
Preparing small, healthy treats, and adding them to the training is a guarantee of success.
In case your dog is overweight, you can get diet dog treats or smaller snacks with minimal calorie content. For a healthy dog, you can get pieces of diced apples, chicken, green beans, or carrots – anything your pooch might like.
Plus, make sure that the treats are safe for dogs. Avoid anything containing sugar, onions, garlic, raisins, avocados, grapes, and chocolate.
Step 6: Begin training by grabbing your dog’s attention
Firstly, you should assert your presence to show your dog that the training session has started.
Never yell at your pooch; stand in front of him, so you are facing each other, and you have his undivided attention. Make sure you’re also standing at a distance where the dog can hear you well.
Step 7: How To Teach A Dog How To Sit – Use the treats
It is the part that melts the dogs’ hearts – seeing the treats within grasping range!
The treats will surely grab your dog’s attention. However, you must hold the snack in a way that your pooch cannot snatch it from you.
Remember, your dog should be in a mood of curiosity as to how he can win the treat from you.
Step 8: Move the treat to the back of the dog’s head
Firstly, hold the treat firmly and close to your dog’s nose.
Then slowly move it upwards to the back of his head. Ensure not to place it close enough so your dog can grab the treat from you.
If you move the treat upwards and towards his head, your dog is bound to follow it with his nose and eyes. As your dog follows the snack, he is going to raise the head and attain a posture where his bottom is placed on the ground.
If your dog finds it hard to achieve this position, you can help him by directing him while holding the treat in the same way.
Sometimes your dog might move back to follow the treat instead of sitting up.
It is best if you perform this training in a small room where your dog would have limited movement options. This practice can increase the speed at which the dog learns to sit.
Step 9: Use the sit command and reward the dog’s success
After moving the treat in front of your dog, causing him to raise his head and assume the desired sitting position, you can then use the command’ Sit!’
Immediately, you must let him have a treat as well as praise him.
What if the dog doesn’t get it right at first? Don’t introduce another command, and don’t repeat the same words. It will get the dog confused.
You can try again but limit the words you say to just the sit command and praises (when he does it right).
Step 10: How To Teach A Dog Hoe To Sit – Praise the dog
Praises are often used to reinforce action and make a dog feel he has done something that pleased you.
Every time your dog completes a “sit” command, do not hold back the praises. For instance, pat your pooch, or say “good dog.”
Step 11: Use the Release command
It can be easy to forget that you’re supposed to release the dog from its sitting position. However, if you don’t, your pooch might just sit there, expecting a treat.
After your dog has successfully sat, you should introduce a release command. Popular words include “free” or “release.”
Whichever word you chose, you must be consistent with it as changing commands can confuse your dog and impede the training process.
Step 12: Take a break, and then repeat the exercise
Dogs get bored easily. You’d lose your dog’s attention when it becomes bored with the training session.
To forestall such a situation, you must make the training sessions short. You can have at most three sessions daily, and each mustn’t be more than 5-10 minutes.
On average, your dog should be sitting perfectly in just two weeks of constant training.
Step 13: Remove treats from the training process
You can’t always give your dog treats when it sits. You can only use the dog biscuits during the initial training stages. Therefore, it will get to a point you need to remove treats gradually.
Hold your hand like you have a treat in it and make your dog perform the sit command.
Then work towards not using a hand signal. However, you shouldn’t stop praising the dog for a job well done.
How to Teach A Dog How To Sit (Using The Leash)
Step 14 – How To Teach A dog How To Sit
If you are working with a stubborn dog, then you need some objects like a leash to make him pay attention to you and the training session.
The leash will allow you to hold your pet securely without hurting him while giving you control over his movements.
Stand beside the leashed dog and encourage him to sit. As soon as his bottom is on the ground, say the “sit” command.
What if your dog resists at first? Don’t force it; take your pooch on a few minutes of leash-walking and try again.
Remember to give treats when your dog gets it right. Treats and rewards are essential during practicing on how to teach a dog how to sit.
How To Teach A Dog To Sit (Capitalising On A Dog’s Natural Demeanour)
This method is particularly effective on calmer dogs, but not suitable for puppies.
Step 1: Ensure the environment is safe and conducive for the dog
The best place you can gain complete control or have an eye on the dog is in a small room. Observe your pooch as he walks around, and don’t forget to have some treats with you.
Step 2: Continue to observe your dog until he sits.
You shouldn’t force the sit command on your dog. Let your pooch roam freely but be vigilant to see when he sits (on his own accord).
Step 3: Say the command
When your dog sits on his own accord, say ‘sit’ in a friendly, gentle tone and reinforce the command with a treat. Do not yell at your dog, otherwise, this method won’t work.
Step 4: Repetition
To nail the command into your dog’s mind, you have to repeat the exercise over and over again. In a week or two, your dog should be able to associate the sit command with the action of putting its bottom on the floor.
Step 5: Say the command while your dog is standing
After successful training of the “sit” command, you can implement it while your dog is standing.
Use treats to make positive reinforcement every time your pooch gets it right, and gradually remove it from the training process.
How To Teach A Dog How To Sit: Conclusion
The basic command your dog ought to know is how to sit. It will open the door to countless training tricks. Just remember that persistence is the key.
Treats and praises should always be around when your dog does a command well, but you should never yell or hit your dog.
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