Teach your dog how to sit.
I have to say that on most occasions, "Sit" is the easiest command to teach a dog. It is so natural and invulnerable
to dogs that they often do it on their own. But to make sure Fido is doing it when you ASK him to, I will tell you
how to command and receive a prompt "Sit"
STEP 1. You are going to use your treat as a lure like in the cartoons when a character holds a carrot in front of a
stubborn mule. Let your dog have a whiff so he knows you have it.
STEP 2. Next you will drag the treat over his nose, past and in between his eyes and over his head
while clearly stating the command "sit". (See
image below.) Humans would naturally turn around, but dogs will tilt their heads up and back trying to follow the
treat, resulting in a sit for support.
STEP 3. As soon as his bum hits the ground.. praise, reward, praise!
STEP 4. Repeat all of the above several times a day until you're dog is completely confident in
sitting. Once he's learned it efficiently, remember to have him sit before he gets what he wants.
*** Trouble Shooting ***
Here are some problems you might have and some answers that might help...
My dog keeps jumping up instead.
You are holding the treat too high. Remember, your dog is FOLLOWING the treat because it is a lure. Keep it closer
to your dog's head as you pull it back and over behind him.
My dog won't sit using the lure.
If this is the case, there are two things you can do. First, try holding the leash up while simultaneously pushing
his rump down. If this doesn't work, there is a pressure point right in front of his hips. You can press down on
both sides using your thumb and forefinger to put him in a sit position. Don't push down on top of the hips because
his legs will lock up. You should feel little depressions right in front of the hips. That's the spot!
My dog knows the command "sit" but he/she only does it some of the time when I ask.
If your dog knows the command and is not obeying you, either you've trained too much and he needs a break, or he's
not taking you serious. If it's the first one I mentioned. TAKE A BREAK! Too much training will backfire. If it's
the latter, then remember this general rule of thumb... Ask, Tell, Force.
