Teaching your dog the “sit” command could be one of the most useful commands you ever teach him. A poorly trained dog is a direct reflection on you the pet owner and how much care about your dog. In fact an untrained dog becomes a nuisance to its owner therefore the dog and owner become unhappy. Whether it’s a puppy or a fully grown dog you can teach them to sit with a little effort on your part.
Have you been putting it off because you think your dog will never be able to learn a new ‘trick’? Don’t put it off any longer. Start teaching your dog how to sit today.
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 dog and offer them the treat. Let them sniff the treat and get excited first!
- Slowly move the treat until it’s over the dogs 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 dogs 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 dogs 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!
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Feb 09, 2010 | | Dogs
Separation anxiety, also known in the dog training world as owner absent misbehavior, is one of the most frequently encountered problems in the world of dog training. Separation anxiety can manifest itself in many different ways, including chewing, destroying the owners property, excessive barking, self destructive behavior and inappropriate urination and defecation.
Dogs suffering from separation anxiety often whine, bark, cry, howl, dig, chew and scratch at the door the entire time their family members are away. Well meaning owners often unwittingly encourage this misbehavior by rushing home to reassure the dog, but it is important for the well being of both dog and owner that the dog learn to deal with extended periods of separation.
How the owner leaves the house can often contribute to separation anxiety issues. A long and drawn out period of farewell can make matters worse by making the dog feel even more isolated when the owner finally leaves. These long types of farewells can get the dog excited, and then leave him with lots of excess energy and no way to work it off. These excited, isolated dogs often work off their excess energy in the most destructive of ways, such as chewing up a favorite rug or piece of furniture.
Excess energy is often mistaken for separation anxiety, since results are often the same. If you think that excess amounts of energy may be the problem, try giving your dog more exercise to see if that eliminates the problem.
If separation anxiety is truly the problem, it is important to address the root causes of that anxiety. In order to prevent separation anxiety from occurring, it is important for the dog to feel happy, safe, secure and comfortable while the owner is away for the day. It is important, for instance, to give the dog plenty of things to keep it busy while you are away. This means providing it with lots of toys, such as balls or chew toys. A pet companion is often effective at relieving separation anxiety as well. Giving the dog a playmate, such as another dog or a cat, is a great way for busy pet parents and pets alike to cope with the stress of being left alone.
Setting aside scheduled play times, during which the pet is given your undivided attention, is another great way to alleviate boredom and separation anxiety. Playing with the dog, and providing it with sufficient attention and exercise, is a proven way to avoid a stressed and anxious dog. A happy dog that has been well exercised and well conditioned will generally sleep the day away happily and patiently wait for the return of its owner.
It is important to schedule one of these daily play sessions before you leave the house each day. It is important to give the dog a few minutes to settle down after playtime before you leave.
For dogs that are already experiencing separation anxiety and associated misbehaviors, it is important to get him accustomed to your leaving gradually. Be sure to practice leaving and returning at irregular intervals, several times during the day. Doing so will get your dog accustomed to your deparartures and help him realize that you are not leaving him forever. Dogs that have been previously lost, or those that have been surrendered to shelters and readopted, often have the worst problems with separation anxiety. Part of treating this problem is teaching the dog that your leaving is not permanent.
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Feb 08, 2010 | | Dogs
Please let me know if you have any suggestions to help curb a barking problem when we are not home. Our 2 year-old Shepherd/Chow mix rarely barks when we are home, but when we leave her in her nice pen outdoors when we are gone she yips and barks. We have tried stuffed animals and kong toy with food inside. Do we need to get a bark collar? Any other suggestions or info on the collars would be appreciated.
Thank you,
Beth Nordstrom
Dear Beth:
First, I would try to figure out what is causing the dog to bark. It may be nothing more than nuisance barking. In which case, a bark collar would work best.
But I’d first rule out all other factors, such as:
- A neighbor’s kid who may be taunting your dog.
- Lack of exercise/stimulation.
- Throwing a toy outside of the pen and then barking in an attempt to “make it come back”
- Any number of other factors that could be eliminated before dropping $100 on a bark collar.
I don’t know what type of exercise regimen you’ve got your dog on now, but it probably wouldn’t hurt to buy a bicycle and start taking your dog for long runs. (It’s good for you, too!)
As for which bark collars to use… the ones that I’ve had the most success with are the Tri-Tronics Bark Limiter. I’ve tried the cheap yellow ones they sell at the pet stores and have found them to be poorly engineered, consistently over or under-correcting your dog, and resetting themselves too quickly.
The citronella collars are largely a joke. The get clogged and jam frequently. The citronella runs out. Plus, I’m not crazy about spraying the stuff in your dog’s eyes.
That’s all for now, folks!
Adam
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Jan 14, 2010 | | Dogs