Dog Training: Teaching Your Dog Commands

Use some of these tips to teach your dog to sit:

You are going to need some treats; unfortunately this is always the best way to get a dog to do something you want. You can use anything you know your dog enjoys: biscuits, chewy treats or household items.

The main goal is to get your dog to sit when you use the word. One way you can gradually get your dog used to the word is by saying the word when the dog is sitting anyway. Dog sits down - you say "sit" and praise them.

You will also need to practice this every day by doing the following:

- Call your dogs and offer them the treat. Let them sniff the treat and get excited first.

- Slowly move the treat until it's over the dog’s head. The dog will naturally move into the sitting position.

- It's important that the dog associates the activity of sitting with the treat, the praise and the action of sitting. Try to get your timing right.

- Keep bribing the dog and gradually decrease the size of the treat. Keep enthusiastically praising the dog.

- Repeat this exercise a few times a day. Don't overdo it - you want your pet to think of it as fun.

- Try to practice around mealtimes when your dog is hungry; this will make him keener for the treats.

- Have the treats easily accessible, don't fumble around - the treat needs to happen as the dog is sitting.

- Don't push your dog’s bottom down; this won't work because your pet will associate the action of sitting with having you push his bottom to the ground. If this really isn't working you might want to consider obedience classes with other dogs.

- End each training session on a positive note.

Teaching your dog to sit using these positive reinforcement techniques will strengthen the bond between you. Consider it time well spent.

Once you have mastered the basic command 'sit' it should be quite easy to train your dog the other basic commands.  ‘Sit’, ‘stay’, ‘down’, ‘heel’ and ‘come’ are some of the most useful commands. Use the treats in a similar way. Training your dog is an ongoing process. You want to keep praising your dog regularly and never associate anger with the dog’s reaction to your command.

Make use of every new situation to train or put your training into practice. The most important part about learning how to sit - is that the dog sits under a variety of conditions. Sitting in new environments, around other dogs, around new people, when the doorbell rings etc. 

Training your dog well is one of the most important things you can do for your dog. Besides having a well behaved dog you will also have an obedient dog. Dogs function as part of a pack - and you are the leader. Your dog will be better adjusted and happier if they know their place in the pack.  Your dog is by nature keen to please you. Be a great pack leader and start teaching your puppy to sit today!