So you have a new puppy or perhaps a dog that you have rescued who is now your new best friend... Now what?
Teaching your dog to sit is the first step to controlling his behaviour and should be the first command that is taught. Although sitting is completely natural for a dog to do, following the command to sit is not. Mastering this command will help you in your training of your dog.
First you must find a location that is quiet and without distractions. Teaching a dog is not unlike teaching a child. If there are many distractions around that the dog finds interesting, he will be less likely to pay attention to you. Remember to have patience with your dog. He's learning something for the first time. Take your time with him.
The verbal command is simply "sit". Most trainers will tell you not to use your dog's name with the command unless it is a command to move forward. I don't really know the reason for this, but from all reports I have it seems to work.
The dog should be positioned on your left hand side facing forward. Holding his leash in your right hand you should move your left hand gently down his back until you get to the point where his legs meet his back. You should then give the command "sit" and squeeze gently into the two indentations in front of your dog's hip bones. At the same time you should push down gently on his back with your left hand and lift the leash up slightly with your other. The dog should sit immediately. If he does not, try making the command longer..."siiiiitttt" while pushing down gently and pulling up on the leash. Do not jerk the leash or speak loudly to the dog. This will only serve to frighten him. Training will be more difficult. Remember to be kind and gentle and have patience as your dog learns.
Next, try it without using your left hand. Pull up on the leash gently and say "sit:" Continue this until your dog will sit without pulling up on the leash. Soon he will respond to the command "sit" without any urging or coaxing by you!
It is critical that you praise your dog for doing what you asked him to do. A nice pat on the head or a quick rub on the back along with a "good dog!" will go a long ways to helping him remember what he has done to get the praise. Some individuals choose to give their dog a treat after they execute a command correctly or do a trick, however this only tends to make your dog expect a treat after each time he correctly does something. It's good for an occasional way to praise them, but don't do it often enough to make them expect it every time.
Congratulations! You did it! You have started on the road to teaching your dog obedience and to follow your commands! Now you can continue his training using many of the same techniques described above. Remember, the two P's... have PATIENCE and always remember to PRAISE your dog when he completes the task you have asked him.
Chris Lauritzen is the co-owner http://www.mydogsbestfriend.com/. The website offers advice, reviews of products and services for your dog, as well as a blog where dog lovers can share ideas, thoughts, and brag about their best friend.