Making Your Dog Sit: The First Step in Obedience Training
Every dog owner expects to have an obedient dog. Before trying to teach your dog to fetch or give you a high-five, you need to focus on obedience itself. Without it, your dog is very unlikely to learn or listen to your other commands. So, what is obedience, and how can you make your dog obey?
Many experts believe the most fundamental step to dog obedience is the "sit" command. Once your dog has mastered this command, your dog will be able to learn and master the other tricks and commands easily. This is accurate for an obvious reason. Dogs, at an age when training should be taking place, are full of energy — it goes against every instinct they possess to sit. They don't want to do it. They would much rather be exhausting themselves in a more enjoyable fashion. In other words, if you can manage to get your dog to obey the "sit" command, the other rules will be easier for your dog to learn.
Many dog training videos and guides, and even many more dog training books, have been written to help you train your dog to sit. It is very basic, but patience is required. Your dog or puppy probably won't be interested in the training, so difficulty is something to be expected. All you will require for this task is dog treats. You want to separate yourself and your dog from other people or pets for this training. It should be you and the dog only. Audiences of any sort are a distraction when initially training a dog.
Place the treat in one hand and allow your dog to smell it or see it. Elevate your hand with the treat grasped tightly, and move backwards and over the dog's head. It is expected to sit as its eyes follow the treat. Once the dog's haunches hit the floor, say "sit" and offer him his prize. This should be accompanied with vocal praises for optimum results. Do this 3 to 5 times and then allow the dog to go.
Dog obedience training can be difficult for both parties. It is draining, tense, and very tiresome for the dog. The idea is to keep the dog training session short and repetitive. Train your dog 3 to 5 times every day and you should experience great results.
Clicker dog training is another way to train your dog which is gaining popularity amongst even casual dog owners. The principle is to train your dog by sound. Rather than saying "Sit", you use a "clicker" to elicit a response from your dog. Nothing changes as far as moving your hand with the treat over the dog's head, forcing his eyes to follow. The clicker is simply replacing your spoken command. Once your dog realizes the clicker's sound signifies a treat, you can switch to verbal commands.
Training your dog to be obedient won't happen overnight. Expect weeks or even months. Training your dog only makes your life simpler, not his. Think long term, be patient, and success is imminent.
Have a great "dog training" day,
Dr. Alfonso
