When you have a new dog in the home, regardless of whether they are a puppy or if they were adopted as an older dog, it’s important for them to be well mannered. Just as you would want any member of your family who was a human to mind their manners, it is also important for a dog to do so as well. That is why basic obedience is something that you should consider for any animal.
Although there are many things that you can teach a dog, one of the first places that most trainers typically start is teaching a dog how to sit. This is one of the most basic commands and it can be used, both during the time that you’re training them and even when they are just around the home. In fact, you might be surprised with how often you are telling the dog to sit, and having them listen is a real treat.
Although teaching a dog to sit is one of the most basic parts of obedience training, there are a number of different ways that it can be done. It is best if you try to teach this command during the time that you are formally training the animal. Get down on their level, regardless of whether it is sitting in a chair beside them or kneeling down on the floor so that you can look them in the eye. It will help you to have your dog’s attention while you go through the next steps.
The next step is to use a small treat and to put it near the dog’s nose so that they can smell it. Be cautious about using too many treats or treats that are too large, because it could put weight on the dog quickly. Cut up the treats into small pieces and you will find that the dog enjoys getting it and you enjoy the fact that you are paying attention to your dog’s health.
Start to move the treat up over top of his head and when you do so, the dog will naturally follow it with his eyes and his rear will start to lower down toward the ground. As he continues to lower further, his butt will eventually hit the floor and that is when you give him the treat immediately, use the command “sit” and then give him plenty of praise.
Some dogs are able to learn this command very quickly but others may take a little bit more coaxing. You may even find that you need to put some gentle pressure on their backside to get them into the seated position. Repetition is going to pay off in the end and you will find that once your dog knows how to sit on command, many of the other commands will flow much easier. You can then move on with your obedience training but just be sure to visit this particular command on a regular basis.