Teaching Your Dog to Sit

Has a new canine buddy just joined your household? If so, that’s great! We love to see dogs going to loving forever homes. One thing that is very important for new doggy owners is making sure that Fido responds to basic obedience commands, such as Sit, Stay, Come, Heel, and Lay Down. Of these five commands, the easiest one to teach is the command to Sit. Read on as a Lakeville, MN vet some help offers tips on teaching your furry friend to Sit.

The Importance of Training

Basic doggy obedience isn’t just about teaching your pup good manners. It’s also very important for safety reasons! For instance, being able to tell your canine friend to Sit when guests arrive can keep him out of the way, and stop him from jumping on people.

Teaching Fido to Sit

Before teaching your pup to Sit, you’ll want to get a few yummy treats. Dog biscuits are fine, but you can also use cut up pieces of hotdogs or slices of deli meat. Just be sure not to overfeed your adorable student! Start by holding the treat over your pet’s head. Fido will likely look up. When he does, move your hand forward, towards his tail. Chances are, your furry buddy will automatically sit, so he can keep his eye on the prize. When he does, tell him to ‘Sit’ and then give him the treat. Repeat this several times daily. Then, start saying ‘Sit’ before your pooch actually sits. The next step is to start withholding the treat: not every time, but enough to get him to sit without a reward. With patience, rewards, and repetition, you’ll have your four-legged pal trained in no time!

Tips

Fido doesn’t have a very long attention span, so long, drawn-out classes may bore him. Keep training sessions short, about 10-15 minutes at once. Also, choose a spot that is quiet and free of distractions, so your furry student can concentrate on his classes. It’s also important to keep things pawsitive by rewarding your pooch for progress, instead of punishing him for not learning quickly enough. Once your canine pal has the basics down, feel free to move on to advanced training, or just show him some cute tricks.

Do you have questions or concerns about your dog’s health or care? Please contact us, your Lakeville, MN pet hospital, anytime!