Teaching the SIT/DOWN commands without "JERK AND PULL" methods
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It is very easy to teach a dog no matter what age to "sit" and
"down". This can be done without tugging or pulling, usually, if you
have a dog that likes treats. I prefer to think of the use of a treat
as a "lure" rather than a "bribe". the trick is, firstly, to get the
dog to watch your hand. The easiest way to do this is to find the
treat he enjoys the most and teach him to watch that treat which is
in your hand as you move your hand around....this is real similar to
the "hide and seek" game a lot of people play when they are playing
fetch with the dog....they will show the dog the stick...and pretend
to throw it.
Take
the treats which you are using and give the dog a couple of
treats so as to determine that he is focusing on your hand. As soon
as you see that he is focusing on the hand...here is what you do: If
the dog is standing, position your hand with the treat in it directly
over the top of his nose. Lift your hand above his nose and back over
the top of his skull. Watch...his head will tilt back as you do this,
and he will then SIT DOWN in order to see the treat immediately give
him the treat! Do this several times and add the word "sit" as he is
sitting. It won't be any time at all until he is sitting
automatically as you raise the treat up above his nose. If the dog is
already sitting, you will need to move away from him, move around,
and so on, until he is again standing and then repeat the training so
that he indeed learns the voice command "SIT" . (He wont learn this
if you don't make him stand up and then "sit" again!)
teaching
your dog to SIT will allow you to take snapshots like this!!! (And
then order a CUSTOM DESIGN OF YOUR DOG at All Things Dog or visit Dogdaze
Designs at Cafepress and Order this design on tee shirts or
sweats or kids clothes or household products!
Gradually you will want to move the hand position so that as
he
begins to sit when you raise your hand, it will then become a hand
signal that he will recognize...the typical hand signal for a sit
command is a straight up palm outward hand signal.
Teaching
the down with a treat as a lure begins the same way, with
the treat in front of the dog's nose. However, this time you will
drop the treat down directly from the front of his nose to between
his front legs...and then drag the treat outwards away from the dog's
body so that your hand has made the shape of the letter "L" . If he
begins to raise his butt up rather than drop it down, you are making
the L too "loosely". tighten it up..straight down, to between the
dogs front legs, and SLOWLY straight out along the floor.
PRESTO...he will be down. Do not allow him to have the treat
until
he is actually DOWN on the floor. Keep the treat closed into your
hand so he can only nuzzle your hand but can not have the treat until
he is performing the desired behavior.
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