Teaching your dog on how to sit is one of the most challenging and also rewarding training sessions that you will ever have.
Training your dog to sit on command is a useful skill that can help you and your pet out in sticky situations. Also, since this trick is not that hard to master, your pet will get satisfaction and self-confidence from being able to do this trick on his initial attempts. If you have a self-confident pet, then chances are your training sessions will be more productive as the level of difficulty increases.
Also, the best part about having your pet trained to sit on command is that you can actually use this when he begins to start acting aggressively – sitting is a neutral position that can calm your pet and make him relaxed again so this “sit” command is really handy.
Before knowing the step-by-step procedure on the proper training, though, you should first acquaint yourself with the general guidelines to remember while training your dog to sit. Knowing the following tips will make the training session easier and convenient for you:
General Guidelines in Training Your Dog to Sit
Think of your pet as a toddler – he has no patience to deal with a training session that is ten minutes in length. Your dog will have a short attention span so it really is up to you to make sure that the training session will be short but meaningful. Don’t beat around the bush: just train him directly. A five-minute session thrice a day is usually recommended.
Maintain a training routine.
Animals thrive on routine so make sure that training your dog to sit will be included in his daily regimen. Why don’t you try training him to sit first before feeding him to give him the impression that he needs to be behaved first before he’s fed? Doing so will make it rewarding and habitual for him.
Enjoy the training session – it’s a bonding moment for you and your pet! Don’t treat it as a chore. This is a time for you to unwind and connect with your pet on a deeper level. Savor it. Make every training session count.
Consistency is important but make sure that what you’re repeating is actually the correct practice. After all, everything will be in vain if what you’re repeating is wrong. Be consistent with the correct training steps by applying the steps he needs to follow in order to give you the results that you need to see.
Remember: your dog’s mind doesn’t operate the way you do so you need to try for a couple of times first before success can be observed. Don’t expect him to follow you on the first try.
Control the training environment to make it easier for your pet to succeed. During your first session on how to train your dog to sit, remove any distractions. Limit the noise. Make it easy for your pet to understand what you mean. As the days go by, observe his rate of success? Is he succeeding every time? If so, then, gradually increase the level of difficulty. Dogs love a challenge so by spicing up your training sessions, he’s bound to keep on being interested and focused on the task. You can even do training in your dog playpen to really limit distractions!
You’ll never go wrong with positive reinforcement. You will be relying on the magic of positive reinforcement all throughout your training sessions so you should always make it work to your advantage. We will tackle more of this in the step-by-step procedure below.
How to Train Your Dog to Sit: Step-by-Step Procedure
Stand in front of your dog. This is to give your dog the message that you, the owner, are the “alpha” in the relationship so you have the right to give him orders and he has the responsibility to follow those orders.
Decide on the “reinforcement” word that you will use. This word will serve as the prelude to the treat so this means that in the future, upon hearing this, your dog will instantly expect for a treat to be given to him. It could be “good boy”, “nice” or “great job” – it depends on you.
Show the yummy treat to your dog. Put it in the palm of your hand. After doing so, semi-fist your hand to make sure that he can’t access the treat but he can still see it. Put your hand near your dog’s nose to get his attention.
Slowly move your hand over your dog’s head. Make him long for the treat. Make him think how to get the treat.Once your treat-laden hand is above his head for about two inches, say “(Dog’s name), sit”. Remember that your hand placement is particularly important – if it’s too high, he might jump; if it’s too low, he might not sit at all.
Observe his behavior. Once he does sit, say the reinforcement word and wait and see how long he stays seated. Once you think that he’s been sitting for quite a while, say the reinforcement word again and then give him the treat.
If he doesn’t sit, say his name and “sit” again. This time, though, you need to physically place him in the sitting position:a. Place your left hand under his tail and behind his knees.b. Place your right hand on his chest and tuck him into a sit.
Again, once he’s been sitting for quite a while (10 seconds), say the reinforcement word and then give him the treat he’s been yearning for.
Don’t give rewards all the time. Yes, consistency is the key point of the training, but this consistency can be exhibited in the form of always saying the “reinforcement word” every single time he displays the correct sitting behavior.
As for the food treat, it’s better to give this every once in a while instead. This is based on the premise that hope springs eternal – your pet will obey you more if he is always given the hope that he may receive a food reward.
Have you mastered the art of helping your dog on how to train to sit? Let us know the ways which worked for you by commenting below!
Like what you read? Be sure to check out our product reviews!