It's definitely best to start training your dog when they are still a puppy. Stimulating their intelligence and skills will help you further down the line when they are an adult, since your dog will be well behaved and obedient for many years. You can start teaching your dog to be obedient when they are 2-6 months old - never forcing them - with training sessions of 10-15 minutes.
Even if your dog is an adult, you'll still be able to teach them to sit down; it is a very simple command that you'll quickly achieve if you have a handful of dog snacks or treats nearby. You'll also need to be patient, since you'll need to repeat it various times so that it remembers it.
This AnimalWised article is a step by step guide for you to teach your dog to sit.
It's very important to use positive reinforcement when training a dog. This method not only gives earlier and better results; it actually makes the dog enjoy its training, which is of key importance.
The first step to teach your dog to sit through positive reinforcement, then, will be to get hold of snacks or treats for dogs, which you can find in any pet store. Choose the ones that you know your dog likes, as long as they're small in size.
Let your dog sniff the treats and offer one - now it's time to start!
Once your dog has tried a treat for motivation, you can begin to teach it to sit down. Grab another snack and keep it grasped in your fist, allowing your dog to sniff it but without letting them have it. By doing so, you'll have managed to capture your dog's attention, and it'll be waiting to receive their treat.
With the treat still clenched in your fist, start moving your arm above the dog as if you were tracing an imaginary line running from their nose to their tail.
Keep advancing your fist, with the dog's gaze fixed upon the treat. The dog will gradually start sitting down as a result of the linear movement. Once the dog sits down, reward them with treats, kind words and strokes - anything goes to make it feel loved!
By getting your dog to sit down you've passed the first test, but the most difficult phase is yet to come. Namely, having the persistence to get it to associate the word "sit" with the physical interpretation. By doing this, you'll be able to tell your dog to sit without using hand gestures.
To get your dog to follow this order, you must be patient and practice every day. You'll need to repeat the same process a few more times, incorporating the word sit before moving your hands.
- Example: "Tarzan, sit" > Hand movement > Reward
If you have tips on how to teach a dog to sit, please share them in the comments section.
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