TRAINING POST
SIT
The SIT. Probably one of the easiest things you will ever teach your dog, and also probably one of very first things you will teach, next to house breaking, and crate training. The sit, all humans know what it means, but dogs are another thing. This is why we must teach them. You can't get a new puppy and expect him to automatically know what you mean when you tell him to "SIT."
How I teach "SIT"
I grab a handful of treats and a clicker. I use the clicker quite often in training basics, and other things. Here is the best of the best in Clicker Training for both you and your dog.
A handful of treats, a clicker, and your dog. Start with the dog standing in front of you, a treat in your hand. Hold the treat close to dog's nose, slightly above it, raise the treat slowly, your dog's butt will lower to the floor. The exact second your dog's butt hits the floor, click and give him the treat. Repeat the process at least 5 times. Now when you raise your hand, use the CUE word "SIT", again when the dogs butt hits the floor click and trick. Repeat the process, slowly fading out the use of the treat as a lure. Once the dog sits on the CUE word, then bring in the hand sign. Use the Cue word and hand sign together several times, so the dog understands they mean the same thing. After awhile you can fade the CUE word. Once the dog sits automatically on both, just the Cue Word or the Hand Sign, your ready to move on.
Moving on, we will take the dog to another room, and repeat the process all over again, usually this won't take much time, but again all dogs are different, so be prepared. Once the dog has mastered the sit inside the house, move it out into the yard. (Please keep your dog on leash if you do not have a fenced yard, it is a good idea to keep him on leash even in the yard to keep him focused on what your teaching.)
Continue in this manner, moving around the yard, then moving beyond the yard out into the big wide world.
Teaching duration: this means you will ask the dog for longer sits, before clicking and treating, move slowly with this, working your way up to having the dog sit for a minute before clicking and treating. Again move slowly. Do not rush this. Some dogs will take more time than others.
Teaching distance: This means you will ask the dog to sit at a bigger distance from you. Start close to the dog, then move back a few steps, if the dog gets up to follow you, repeat the closer step. Continue on this way, until you can ask the dog to sit at a distance of 5 feet, 10 feet, ect. Again move slowly, let the dog decide what he can and will do.
Here are a few links to others training methods.
I hope you enjoyed this post. Teaching SIT is fun, as well as useful.
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