4 Things to Remember when Teaching your Dog How to Sit

So you want to teach your dog how to sit, eh?

Don’t go and think that you can only teach new commands to puppies. Despite the old adage, old dogs can pick up new tricks as quickly as younger pups.

If you adopted a dog from a shelter from example, it’s not too late to teach your dog new commands. One of the most basic and easiest tricks would be sitting. Although the action of sitting is something a dog does naturally, following a command to do so is not. Once you have trained your dog how to sit, it is going to be easier for you to teach them other things.

Prepare your dog

You have to get your dog ready before anything else. Make sure that it is listening to you and that you have its undivided attention. You can wave around a treat in front of your dog so that it focuses on you and you alone.

Another thing to make sure of is that the environment you’re in is quiet and free of distractions, as dogs can be a lot like children when it comes to attention spans. So as much as possible, limit any distractions. Once you get its attention, begin your lessons. If the dog is ill with DM in dogs, you might need the help of body supporters.

Remember behaviorism

When it comes to animals, you have to use behaviorism to teach them something new. The most effective behaviorism strategy is the reward strategy. You basically give the dog a reward if it does something right, and not give it anything if they didn’t do the action correctly.

The key here is to provide positive reinforcement for desirable behavior with a treat. Do this consistently and you’ll find that sooner or later, the dog will learn that if he does a certain action correctly—in this case sitting—it will get a prize. If your dog has a hard time sitting down, such as in cases of DM in dogs, support it and reward it afterwards.

Speak clear and confidently

Once you start teaching your dog, make sure that the command you are giving it is heard clearly. Stick with one command and never change it. Your dog will have a hard time figuring out the commands and what to do if you constantly change the words. Your voice needs to be strong but calm. Don’t scream at the dog because it will only become afraid of you.

The two Ps

When training, there are two Ps to remember: patience and praises.

Be patient with your dog. Some dogs learn quickly while other might need a few more lessons before they get it right. Don’t forget to give the dog praises. Don’t limit yourself to the treats you give the dog for every positive behavior. Actually show your dog that you are proud of him, or her.

Teaching your Dog How to Sit Video