Teaching
your dog to sit is one of the most
basic training exercises. Few things
are more exciting than watching a
well-trained dog. Many dog owners
skip this basic exercise and this
is a mistake. This is a step in building
your dog's confidence and also serves
as first hand possibility of potential
behavioral problems. Take your dog
to a quiet place, where there are
no natural distractions. The key to
successful training is patience and
a positive attitude. Scolding and
physical force will only turn your
dog off to the fun of these exercises
Training
should be fun: Use a food lure and
positive reinforcement. Start by using
a small piece of food to lure your
dog's nods upward and move the treat
backwards over his head so that he
naturally lowers himself to a sitting
position. Try to keep your sessions
short, approximately five to 10 minutes
once or twice daily.
As soon as he sits, give him the treat
food. Repeat the exercise, adding
the word "sit," so the dog
can learn quickly what you expect
of him; rather than forcing his body
into position, allow him to discover
what is required on his own. Repeat
the exercise until the dog responds
properly every time. Once your dog
has mastered sitting for a treat,
it's time to start phasing out treats
and replacing it with verbal praise
only. Your praise, although less tangible,
is just as important to your dog as
a treat is.
When
your dog mastered the skill of sitting
in your yard, try asking him to sit
other places like sidewalk and different
locations around your home area. Then
"when ready" find a busy
or distracting place, like the park,
market entrance or crowded sidewalk.
After some practice and a bit of patience,
your dog should begin to sit without
having to see a reward being offered.
Teaching
your dog to sit is one of the most
basic training exercises. Few things
are more exciting than watching a
well-trained dog. Many dog owners
skip this basic exercise and this
is a mistake. This is a step in building
your dog's confidence and also serves
as first hand possibility of potential
behavioral problems. Take your dog
to a quiet place, where there are
no natural distractions. The key to
successful training is patience and
a positive attitude. Scolding and
physical force will only turn your
dog off to the fun of these exercises
