Content
- Preparations for teaching the dog to sit
- Use positive reinforcement
- Choose a quiet place
- Prepare the treats and snacks
- How to teach the dog to sit step by step
- Dog sitting: alternative method
- Tips for teaching a dog to sit
- 5 to 15 minutes a day
- Always use the same word
- Patience and affection
The best step to start educating a dog is, without a doubt, how much he is still a puppy. Stimulating his intelligence and abilities will help him in his adulthood as he will get a polite and obedient puppy for many years. We can start practicing obedience with our puppy when he is between 2 and 6 months old, without ever forcing him, with sessions of between 10 and 15 minutes.
Anyway, even if he's already an adult, you can too teach the dog to sit for it is a very simple order. You can do this quickly if you have a handful of canine treats and treats at your fingertips that he likes, you will also need a little patience as you will have to repeat this process several times so that the dog remembers him. In this post by PeritoAnimal we explain how to teach the dog to sit step by step.
Preparations for teaching the dog to sit
Before leaving for the training session to teach the dog to sit, there are a few things you should be prepared for:
Use positive reinforcement
Let's start with the methodology. During the training of a puppy it is very important to use positive reinforcement, as it improves the results and allows the puppy to positively relate to education, which is very important. You should never use methods that involve punishments and choking or shock collars, for example.
Choose a quiet place
Another factor that makes the difference is the choice of a place without many external stimuli. For this, look for a quiet place with few stimuli that can distract your dog. It can be in a large room, in the backyard, or in a park in quieter hours.
Prepare the treats and snacks
The first step in teaching the dog to sit will be to have it with you. goodies or snacks for puppies, you can prepare them at home or find them for sale in supermarkets or pet stores. Choose the ones you prefer and, preferably, which are smaller and healthier, but remember that it is very important that they are the ones he likes. This is what will keep you interested during the training session.
Let your dog sniff and offer him a, now it's time to get started!
How to teach the dog to sit step by step
Now that he has tasted a treat and saw that he likes it, it will motivate him, so let's start teaching him this order:
- Grab another treat or snack and keep it in your closed hand, let him smell it but don't offer it. This way, you will be able to capture their attention and the puppy will be waiting to get your treat.
- With the treat still in your closed hand, it's time to start moving your arm over the dog, as if we were tracing an imaginary line from its muzzle to its tail.
- We advance the fist with the dog's gaze fixed on the candy and, due to the linear path, the dog will progressively sit.
- Once the dog is seated, you must reward him with treats, kind words and caresses, everything is valid to make him feel wanted!
- Now we've got the first step, which is getting the dog to sit down, but the hardest part is missing, getting him to relate the word to the physical interpretation. To do this, we can tell our dog to sit without using his hand on top of him.
- To get him to comply with the order we must have patience and practice every day, for this we will repeat the same process a few times incorporating before moving your fist on him, the word sits. For example: "Maggie, sit down" - Go moving your arm over her and prize!
Dog sitting: alternative method
If your dog doesn't seem to understand, let's try the second method. It will take a little patience and a lot of affection:
- We continue with a little food in hand. And then we crouch down next to the dog with our hands on its back and do the imaginary line trick again and with a light pressure on the dog without forcing it.
- Know that the dog will not always understand what you ask and he may even get very agitated and nervous. Be patient and always use positive reinforcement so that he enjoys and at the same time strengthens the relationship with you.
Check out the step-by-step video explaining how to teach the dog to sit, according to the two previous methods:
Tips for teaching a dog to sit
Want to see your dog sitting under your command as soon as possible? It will be essential to practice this ritual for a while, at least three times a week, so that the dog learns to sit. Some essential tips during this process are:
5 to 15 minutes a day
It is important to practice two to three times a week, taking 5 to 15 minutes to teach the command. But don't forget that pushing too hard can end up stressing your dog and causing him to give up.
Always use the same word
Always say the same word and later make a sign next to it to make it more recognizable.
Patience and affection
As important as the methodology and practical tips for teaching the dog to sit, is to be equipped with a lot of patience and affection. Remember that this process takes different times for each of them but it will happen. Whether now or a few weeks from now, at your command, you will see your sitting dog.