How to teach a puppy the sit command. Teaching the “Sit” command: standards and methods

So that your puppy can fulfill basic requests, obey, and you can curb his activity, you need to train him from childhood. Then he will be able not only to overcome a barrier or fetch a stick, but also serve or walk not on a leash, but on his own. How to teach a dog commands at home, and how to quickly teach it to fulfill basic requirements, you ask. But this is quite possible; all you need to do is get a little advice from experienced dog handlers, watch training videos and strictly follow the rules that we will mention below.

Why does a dog need to know commands?

Commands need to be taught so that the pet can live normally with other animals and people, this is especially true for and. Although without education they can grow up to be no less aggressive and uncontrollable. Training is also necessary in order to correct behavior, eradicate bad habits, and develop the animal’s natural instincts.

Is it possible to train an adult dog? It is possible, but much more difficult, so it is better to start classes from six months of life, although they are carried out in a playful way. The process will go much faster, as puppies are more active and love to learn new things.

But before starting classes, you need to consider the following points:

the character and habits of the pet;
prioritize;
do not retreat from classes, make them permanent;
praise and encourage the puppy, make exercises more interesting;
distinguish between work and play moments.

It is also important to take into account that exercises do not need to be done after lunch or dinner, and training should only be carried out on an empty stomach.

Basic commands

What commands must be taught?

Basic commands:

near;
lie;
sit;
give me your paw;
it is forbidden;
stranger;
stand;
bring;
take a walk.

These exercises will be needed to develop mobility, dexterity, intelligence and obedience.

But such commands as spin, hurdle, somersault, die, seek and fetch are considered quite complex; not all dogs perform them and only at a more mature age. For this, the pet must be rewarded with food and the exercises must be repeated constantly.

Voice command It will be especially useful for those dogs that are used for hunting, when guarding a home, or in the process of searching for people. But initially you need to take into account that some breeds will not be able to learn at all and bark loudly, and Labradors and shepherds learn the fastest.

tie the dog near a tree and step on the leash;
do not let your pet jump on you when he sees food;
ask for a voice and show a tasty treat;
reward your pet after following a command;
repeat the exercise two to three times.

It is important not to reward the animal if it barks and barks without a command, otherwise the exercise will be remembered incorrectly.

Lie

Command "lie down" It may also come in handy in everyday life, especially if you travel a lot with your pet or visit often. Training begins at three months, simultaneously with the “sit” command. If the command is carried out correctly, give a treat, and if there is no reaction, press on the withers.

Easy, all you need is:

go to a quiet place, even outside. But there should be no dampness or snow on the ground;
press on the withers and back while speaking "lie";
at this time you need to show the tasty treat in your other hand at ground level;
After following the instructions, let the animal go for a walk.

Remember that training can take up to a year, but it should be done without rudeness, gradually becoming more difficult. If at first the pet is trained at home, then later, on the street or in a public place. And don’t expect that the dog will be able to lie on the ground for a long time the first time.

Near

How to teach your dog the “here” command Almost everyone knows, but not everyone knows how to do it correctly. Training begins at six months, when the pet is already accustomed to walking on a leash. Note that the exercise is considered the most difficult and is remembered throughout the year.

It is important that the puppy is on your left side and walks next to you until you let him go for a walk.

You need to start learning like this:

take the dog on a leash and bring it as close to you as possible;
say “near” and walk your pet near you for several steps;
then let go and say "take a walk";
give a treat as a reward;
after that, call the puppy and repeat the exercise several more times;
Each time you need to loosen the tension on the leash and release the dog more and more.

You need to remember that if the command is not followed, it is enough to pull the leash closer to you and repeat the exercise.

Fas

"Fas" command is considered one of the most difficult and dangerous, but training should begin from three months of life, when the pet is weaned from its mother.

Remember that a pet spoiled by attention and affection may not follow your commands or may do so with stubbornness. Therefore, try to pamper him less and be more strict.

Below we will tell you how to teach a dog the “front” command.

To do this you need:

find a closed area on the street without people;
put on a protective suit;
find props in the form of sticks, tires, stuffed animals;
then tie the dog on a leash and sit next to it;
then tease your pet with the selected object and say fas;
each time it will irritate more, and the dog will rush;
After completing the command, reward the dog with a treat.

Sit

Before describing how to train a dog command "sit", let's highlight a few important points. For example, learning begins in early childhood, from three to five months. To perform the exercises, use the method of reward and punishment - press on the sacrum when not done and give a treat when done.

The training scheme is as follows:

call your pet to you;
call him by name, tell him "sit" and press on the sacrum;
hold the dog in that position for a few seconds, and then give a treat;
end the exercise with the words walk;
repeat the exercise every five to seven minutes.

Give me your paw

How to train a dog "Give me your paw" command a dog handler can tell you, but this can be easily taught at home. Then the pet, at your request, will give you its paw.

The exercise is carried out like this:

sit the dog next to you;
call me by name and say "give me your paw";
point to your paw and show the treat in your hand;
take the paw in your hands;
repeat the command several times and after execution, give a treat.

Few people know, but team training needs to begin at six to eight months, and decorative breeds are the worst to train.

How to teach a dog the fu and don't commands

Command "fu" considered one of the most important, similar to command "no", because it makes the dog refuse your things or some items. This will be useful on the street, at a party or at home. How to teach a dog a command "ugh" And "it is forbidden"?

Simple enough:

show or give your pet a forbidden thing;
point to it or take it in your hand and say "ugh, no way";
pick up the item and repeat the command;
ensure that the pet gives the item back and does not take it without your permission;
Give a treat as a reward.

Please note that you need to start the exercise at the moment when the puppy has decided to perform the action, but has not yet done anything wrong. Talk to him only while looking him in the eyes.

Aport

To the "fetch" command can be trained quickly, although some breeds have difficulty. The exercise implies that the puppy returns the thing that the owner threw, then the dog sits next to him and waits for further instructions. Training begins from the eighth month of life, after the commands “sit and next”. Let’s look at how to teach a dog the “fetch” command together:

find a stick or bone;
show it to the dog, tease it a little;
throw the thing and say fetch;
let the animal run after the item and return it to you;
praise and give something tasty;
repeat the exercises three to five times.

Place

This command must be taught to both an adult and a small pet. Although there are two types, when the dog lies down in its place in the house or near the specified object. How to train a dog command "place"? It’s quite simple; to do this, you need to lure the puppy with a treat or point your finger there, saying “place.” After completion, the dog is rewarded. And in order for the dog to stay in place longer, throw his favorite toy there.

It is also important that when returning from a place without a command, you need to return the pet there, pointing there with a finger, saying in a menacing voice.

Stranger

Before Determining How to Train a Dog team "alien", we determine that it is important for many pets, as it notifies that in front of them is an unknown person with bad intentions. Then the dog should give a voice, growl or move away.

For training you need:

find an assistant who will attack you;
then look at the animal and repeat the command "stranger";
repeat this for five to seven minutes;
After the pet approaches you and begins to growl or bark, praise it.

Stand

Command "stand" needs to be taught from the age of seven to nine months, after mastering the basic exercises. For training, a contrasting method of reward and punishment is used. The command is necessary to ensure that the animal obeys you during bathing, brushing or a doctor's examination. How to teach a dog the “stay” command?

Let's learn together:

bring your pet to you;
push him under the stomach so that he stands up and listens to you;
as encouragement, give a treat;
if the dog lies down, lift it by the fur;
combine command with words "take a walk".

Bring it

"Fetch" command has a lot in common with "fetch", but in this case it is not necessary to throw the thing.

To complete the exercise you will have to:

sit your pet near you;
point to the thing and say bring it;
if necessary, come and hold the item in your hands;
show the tasty treat, sit down and repeat the instructions again;
after completion, reward.

Search

"Seek" command especially important for hunting and guard dogs, bloodhounds. It is taught from the age of one year, after the exercises “fetch, sit, stranger and fu”.

The training is carried out as follows:

take a certain thing;
let the dog sniff it;
hide the thing;
give the command "search", repeat several times;
if the dog chooses the wrong thing, tell him "ugh", and repeat "search well";
After finding, repeat the exercise and praise the animal.

It’s interesting that you need to start training by searching for something with your scent, then complicate it and force you to look for someone else’s thing.

Serve

The "serve" command also called "bunny", and it’s easier to do for small pets. Because it will be more difficult for larger people to hold their body with a straight back.

It’s not difficult to train, for this:

call the puppy to you;
pick up a tasty treat;
raise your hand with the treat above the dog's head and speak "serve";
after the pet lifts its front paws off the floor, reward it;
each time force you to rise higher and hold the position longer.

Wait

Education command "wait" implies that the pet will remain motionless until you allow it to leave. Training begins at nine months and uses a contrasting method with reward and punishment.

The training is carried out as follows:

call your pet;
sit him down or lay him down, pressing on the sacrum;
Tell "wait" and hold it with your hand;
show the treat;
after a couple of minutes, give the treat and say "walk";
repeat the exercise several times.

Few people know, but team training begins at home, and only after a couple of months of training, you can move classes to a noisy street.

Go for a walk

"Walk" command most necessary for pets used in security or detective service. Most often used after completing other commands, as a reward. To train, just pat the animal on the back, let go and say "take a walk".

Somersault

Education team "somersault" not difficult, if the puppy already knows how to lie on his back, the exercise is very similar to "die" command.

To do this you need:

put the dog on its back;
show the treat, give it a sniff;
swipe the treat along the ridge;
do not let the dog get up;
it is important that the dog watches the food and smoothly turns on its side;
and this is repeated several times.

Start exercise "die" You can do it at any age, even with an adult dog. To do this, just lay your pet on its back or give it the appropriate command, take the treat in your hand and let it smell it. After this, move your hand with the food to the side, further along the ridge. When the animal falls over on its side, give the reward.

Barrier

Exercise "barrier" must be performed after a year of life, and then your pet will learn to overcome obstacles. It is important that the first height is no more than 45 cm, even for a large breed.

The training is carried out like this:

find a small horizontal bar, obstacle or rope;
stand on the other side and show the puppy a treat;
beckon him and call him to you;
After the dog jumps over, give a reward.

Not everyone knows, but for training you can even use a hoop, a living human barrier. But each time the load must increase, placing several barriers in a row.

Spin

Exercise "spin" it looks like a somersault, because the technique is the same. In this case, you need to lay the puppy on its back, show it a treat, and run your hand along the ridge. After the dog falls on its side and turns over, repeat the manipulation. When the dog makes a few turns, give the reward.

Snake

Train "snake" it will be easy if the puppy already knows how to perform "eight". The exercise itself involves the owner walking forward and the dog passing between his legs.

The training method is as follows:

say "nearby" and sit your pet near your left leg;
show me something tasty;
step forward and show the dog the food;
wait until the dog takes a step;
then take a step with the other foot and show the food again;
after the first five steps and commands are completed, give the reward.

It is important that you do not move quickly and give away food not in one step, but that you fully comply with the conditions of the exercise.

High five

Exercise "high five" Suitable for large and small breeds, the point is that the pet brings both paws to your hands on command.

This is easy to do:

show me something tasty;
raise your hands and bring them to the animal;
say “high five” and wait for a reaction;
Once completed, give away the food.

For the first time, it is enough for the dog to simply bring his paw to your palms.

If you want to start training and raising your dog, it is important to understand that miracles do not happen and no best dog handler can do this job for you. Training is hard work that requires patience and perseverance from the owner. If you want the dog to obey you, and not the dog handler, you will have to be directly involved in working with the animal and do it regularly. To save your money, we have developed a video training course, which you can use absolutely free by subscribing to our YouTube channel. Make it a rule that on every walk you devote part of the time to working with your pet. You should turn to a dog handler for paid help when something doesn’t work out for you.

How to teach a puppy the sit command

The sit command is usually the very first command that is taught to a puppy. This is largely due to the fact that the puppy himself prompts this exercise, sitting in front of the owner and looking up at the person. Due to the fact that the puppy naturally sits in front of the person in certain situations, its owners have the illusion that the puppy understands this command very well and will always carry it out. It doesn’t even occur to puppy owners to think about and separate the significance of the “sit” command from the situational factors that prompt the puppy to sit. When the situation changes and other factors act on the puppy in different circumstances, it suddenly turns out that the puppy does not “want” to carry out this command. It becomes clear that even the command to sit must be practiced correctly. The principles and stages of teaching a puppy the “sit” command are approximately the same as when training an adult dog. Another thing is that when training a puppy, preference should be given to more positive ways of working than when training an adult disobedient dog.

How to teach your dog the command to sit

If you take any book on training, it will describe ways to seat a dog. All of them are based on the fact that the dog should raise its head up and lower its butt to the ground. The dog's head is lifted up with food, a collar or a hand under the jaw. As a result of such influence, the dog either sits down, or it has to be helped by additional pressure with the hand by pressing on the lower back or croup. This effect is done simultaneously with raising the dog's head. Accordingly, there are several ways to sit a dog:

Raise the food above the dog's head and give it when the dog sits down;
Raise the food above the dog’s head and at the same time hold it by the leash so that the dog does not move back, as soon as the dog sits down, give food and praise;
Raise the food above the dog’s head and at the same time press on the lower back, after the dog sits down, give the food;
Pull the dog up and down by the collar, as soon as the dog sits down, praise and give food;
Pull the dog up and down by the collar and, at the same time, pressing on the dog’s croup, move it towards the front legs, as soon as the dog sits down, praise and give food;
Pull the dog up and back by the collar and at the same time press on the lower back; as soon as the dog sits down, praise and give food;
Raise the dog's muzzle with your hand under the jaw and at the same time pressing on the lower back, move the dog's head back to the hind legs, after the dog sits down to give the food;
Raise the dog's muzzle with your hand under the jaw and at the same time pressing on the dog's croup, move it towards the front legs, as soon as the dog sits down, praise and give food;
Instead of pressing on the lower back, you can press and hook the dog under the knee, combining this effect with raising the food above the dog’s head;
Instead of pressing on the lower back, you can press and hook the dog under the knee, combining this impact with raising the dog’s muzzle with your hand under the jaw, as soon as the dog sits down, praise and give food;
Instead of pressing on the lower back, you can press and hook the dog under the knee, combining this effect with pulling the dog up and back by the collar;
Instead of pressing on the lower back, you can press and hook the dog under the knee, combining this effect with pulling the dog up by the collar, and in this case you need to move the dog’s rear forward.

It is quite difficult to understand the small details and differences between these methods from a sheet of paper without practice. Nevertheless, for the sake of clarity of presentation, I present them in order. The initial principle of teaching a dog the “sit” command is quite simple. You need to say a command, sit the dog down and give it food. When the trainer knows all these methods, then already in the process of sitting the dog, he can change them, sitting the dog a little differently, focusing on the situation and expediency. If you are not fluent in these methods, it is necessary to work in one way, since you are not only teaching the dog, but also learning yourself. How to become an expert in sitting dogs and freely change sitting methods during the training process? To do this, you don’t need to cram and learn in practice all these methods of sitting. Everything is much simpler. You need to know the two main mistakes when sitting a dog and not make them.

Two main mistakes when sitting a dog

Please note that when the dog is standing, the distance between the front legs and the hind legs is greater than the same distance when the dog is sitting. This is a very important circumstance that must be clearly understood. If you work with food, a collar, your hand under the jaw so that the front legs remain in one place, then while lowering the dog’s backside down, you need to simultaneously move the dog’s backside towards the front legs. If you work with food, a collar, with your hand under the jaw so that the front legs move towards the hind legs, then you need to lower the dog’s rear clearly down. The main mistake is when the dog is torn by pressing down on the lower back and pulling up by the collar. When a dog sits down from a standing position, the dog's spine, instead of a horizontal position, is located at approximately 45%, diagonally. If the dog’s backside goes straight down and its head goes straight up, then the dog’s spine should become longer, which is naturally impossible. Discomfort in this situation leads to the dog refusing to sit down and resisting. The second main mistake is when the dog's front end is pushed back up and the dog's hind end is pushed too far forward down. In this case, the trainer seems to crumple the dog, which is also unpleasant for him. In this case, the dog sits unevenly, falls on its hip or squats backwards on its hind legs. The dog in this case simply gives its spine more room and space, but in another way, the dog’s spine, being unable to contract, forces the dog to sit unevenly. To avoid these mistakes you need to know them and take them into account when sitting your dog. After some practice you will be able to work correctly easily.

Clicker training

All of the above methods of sitting down are options for combining a command and stimulating the dog to carry out the command, that is, stimulating the dog to sit down and rewarding it after the dog has sat down. There is training based on a different principle, this is a combination of spontaneously performing the desired action and rewarding. That is, the dog sits on its own and immediately receives a reward. After some time, the dog begins to understand that sitting down is a way to force a person to give food or throw a ball. As a result, the dog begins to sit very often when it needs something from a person. After this, the second stage of training begins. Explain to the dog that sitting is rewarded only on the command of a person; spontaneous sitting without the command to “sit” is not prohibited, but is not encouraged. This method involves training the dog to a positive conditioned signal, a marker. A clicker or any short, clear word is used as such a marker.

Why do you need a clicker and how to use it. If you reward your dog every time he sits, the dog will begin to sit more often. This is in theory, but in practice it is technically difficult to do. When the trainer begins to take out food or prepares to throw a ball, the dog breaks the sitting position. As a result, the dog receives a reward at the moment when it does not perform the desired action, but violates it. To solve this practical difficulty, a clicker is used. First, the clicker-reward connection is developed. The clicker becomes a conditioned positive signal. After this, it becomes possible to reward the dog with a clicker or other positive marker. At the same time, the value of the clicker is always confirmed. After the dog has heard the clicker, it must be given a real reward so that the clicker-food connection does not fade and the value of the clicker is not lost. A clicker is for a dog what money is for a person. When we receive a salary, we understand that we can easily turn money into real values and pleasures. If, for some reason, it is impossible to buy anything with money, then it becomes just paper and garbage that cannot motivate us to work.

Sitting the dog down is only the first stage of teaching the sit command.

Sitting a dog and teaching the sit command are not the same thing. Everything discussed above relates to how to sit a dog and how to reward it for sitting, so that the anticipation of the reward will encourage the dog to obey the sit command in the future. But this is the very beginning level and this information is not enough to teach the dog to correctly execute the “sit” command. In addition to the initial sitting of the dog, it is necessary to ensure that the dog follows the command to sit from various positions, at different distances from the trainer. Before analyzing the stages of training, it is useful to understand the criteria for assessing the dog’s compliance with the “sit” command.

Training competitions, special requirements for the “sit” command

Ideally, the dog should carry out the command quickly, clearly, and reliably in different circumstances. In addition, if you plan to take your dog to competitions, there are additional requirements for the sitting technique. At competitions, the “sit” command is tested in combination with the “lie down” and “stand” commands. The dog must change position several times at the command of the trainer, who at this time is at a distance from the dog. The dog usually wants to approach its owner, which is an additional complication. In order for the dog to work in one place without moving forward, the trainer must teach the dog the correct technique for performing the entire set of commands (sit, lie, stand). There are two options for the dog to work in this exercise. With motionless front legs and motionless hind legs. If a dog is preparing for competition, then this is very important. If you sit for everyday execution of a command, then this is no longer so important.

Stages of teaching the sit command

Teaching a dog the sit command occurs gradually. The difficulty of the exercises is constantly increasing.

Initial sitting of the dog in any way, searching and selecting a method suitable for a particular dog;
Sitting the dog in the correct level position;
Teaching a dog to obey the “sit” command using different influences. Three main options. Only food, food and mechanics, only mechanics. Each option has its own value and feasibility for training and raising a dog;
Training endurance in a sitting position;
Training attention to the trainer during holding;
Practicing stand-sit and lie-sit combinations with the reinforcement of the correct execution technique;
Developing the speed of submission to training influences when executing the command to sit near the trainer from standing, lying down positions and from movement using influences after the command;
Further training in the execution of the sit command with a natural loss of influence from the trainer on the dog. The dog must willingly comply with the command in order to avoid unpleasant influences and to receive a reward;
Training the execution of the sit command with variable rewarding of the dog, that is, not for every execution. Initially, to accustom oneself to such a reinforcement regime and subsequently to use this regime to reinforce better execution of the “sit” command;
Execution of the “sit” command in various positions of the dog relative to the person. Starting position, frontal position, main position on the left, main position on the right and some others;
Accustoming a gesture in a frontal position, training in performing the “sit” command given by voice, voice and gesture, gesture;
Teaching a dog to follow a command at a distance from the trainer. First, the command is given at a distance from the dog, and after that the trainer immediately approaches the dog for influence;
Teaching a dog to carry out a command at a distance from the trainer according to a different scheme. The trainer gives a command, the dog follows the command “sit” and after that the trainer approaches the dog for a reward;
Work at a distance with a variable reinforcement regime, and further training in various conditions and circumstances. Regulatory design of testing the skill of performing the command to sit.

Each stage of training has its own rules and basic mistakes that greatly affect the dog’s learning speed. It makes sense to move on to the next stage after the previous one has been mastered. However, this does not mean that you do not still need to work through the previous stages of training; it is still useful to repeat and develop them. Separately, it is necessary to say about the use of gesture commands.

The sit command is a gesture when training a puppy.

Usually, already during the initial training of a puppy, the owners raise their hand with food over it, standing in front of it in a frontal position. This raising of the hand is both a way to sit the puppy and trains the puppy to follow the “sit” command using a gesture. Thus, habituation to a gesture occurs at the very beginning of training and is therefore well consolidated. In practice, however, such training leads to a whole series of problems that emerge much later, when we, already training the dog, persistently achieve clarity in the execution of the “sit” command.

The main problems of such training

The owner of the dog does not separate the command and the influence on the dog in order to stimulate the dog to carry out the command. The basic scheme of work is giving a command, then stimulation and reward after the dog has correctly responded to the stimulus and followed the command. At the initial stage, the dog does not so much carry out the command as respond correctly to the influence. Only as a result of practice does the need for influence decrease, and the dog begins to carry out the command rather than respond to the influence. Difficulties appear when the puppy grows up and begins to show independence and activity in his behavior. Owners who initially taught their puppy to sit by raising their arm high above the puppy's head begin to look rather strange when they try to run in front of a dog that is ignoring them and raise their arm into its field of vision. The dog turns away, and the owner again runs to take a new position, so that the dog sees him. In this case, the dog owner needs to understand the difference between the impact on the dog and the command, in order to reinforce the command not with a command, but with a real impact on the dog. In fact, due to non-compliance with the stages of practicing the “sit” command, children’s initial training becomes useless, since they have to start everything from the very beginning.

A more detailed analysis of the stages of teaching a dog the “sit” command

Initial sitting of the dog in any way, search and selection of a method suitable for a particular dog

First, you need to sit the dog in any way, praise it, feed it, calm it down if it is afraid, or, on the contrary, play with it after it has obeyed and managed to be seated. At this stage, it doesn’t matter how the dog sat. She falls on her hip or sits upright, sits quickly or slowly, sits on her front or hind legs. The most important thing is that the dog sat down and received a reward.

If the dog is active and fidgety, such as a Risen or a Doberman, then it may be difficult to sit down. If the dog is calm and kind, such as a Bernese Mountain Dog or St. Bernard, then usually such dogs do not resist the use of mechanical force with their hands. However, a young male St. Bernard or Bernese Mountain Dog that is not walked much may resist being seated by hand.

Dogs can be divided not only by activity level. There is also a criterion of muscle tone associated with trust and submission to a person. There are dogs that are soft and amenable to mechanical influence (modeling by hand), and there are dogs that are tense and resistant. An example of a soft dog is the Golden Retriever; tense dogs include Dobermans and Ridgebacks. Muscle tension depends not only on the activity of the dog. For example, the Ridgeback cannot be called a very active dog. At least he is no more active than a Golden Retriever or Labrador. But the Ridgeback's willingness to obey a person and agree with coercion is much lower.

Much depends on the food reaction and trust in the person. The more a dog needs food, the easier it will sit when exposed only to food, and if mechanical assistance is needed, it is easier to distract it with food from the fact that it is being forced into submission by hand.

A tired dog will sit down easier and more willingly than an active dog at the beginning of a walk.

With a dog that is aggressive towards humans, you will most likely have to work only with food, even if it does not really need this food.

In general, as with teaching other commands, food reaction, trust in the trainer and the general habit of obedience are very important. If the work is based on the operant, then instead of the habit of obedience, the dog’s ability to actively seek food in different ways and the ability to form a connection between action and reward will be more important. Usually, the initial sitting of a dog is not difficult for its owner. Dogs sit down to feed easily, although sometimes some manual assistance is required.

Sitting the dog in the correct position

As both the dog and the person master the skill of sitting, the process becomes easier for both of them. The trainer’s actions become more precise and economical without unnecessary movements and effort. The dog, understanding what the person requires of it and the fact that it will still have to sit, sits down faster on its own. If training is carried out only with the use of food and without the use of coercion, then in this case, too, the dog, trying to get food faster, begins to sit up faster. The lack of resistance from the dog and the more precise influences that the trainer has learned allow me to move on to the next stage. Sitting a dog on its hind legs without blockages is not a very difficult task. If the dog does not have problems with the musculoskeletal system, then it is very easy to straighten the dog with food.

Teaching a dog to obey the command to sit using different influences

Three main options. Only food, food and mechanics, only mechanics. Each option has its own value and feasibility for training and raising a dog. Working exclusively through the use of food increases the dog's activity and positive attitude towards this exercise. Sitting with the synchronized influence of food and mechanics teaches the dog to obey coercion without fear or resistance. Sitting only through mechanics reinforces the dog’s obedience and prepares it for situations where, when working on the “sit” command, the dog will have to be seated only through coercion, since in some situations it is not interested in food. This situation often occurs when a dog in training overreacts to another dog in group training and refuses food.

Sitting endurance training

Staying in a static position is the basis of discipline and controllability of the dog. The first exercise in which the dog is exposed to restraint is the execution of the “sit” command. If you teach your dog good restraint on the “sit” command, then other similar restraints will be easily practiced by the dog. If the dog has very strong endurance at the command “sit,” then practicing endurance in the lying and standing positions becomes much easier and faster. Moreover, this exercise also has a positive effect on the execution of non-static commands. If a dog sits well in the face of distractions, then it will be much easier for the dog to go to a place on command or to walk next to the owner past these factors. Exposure can be divided according to criteria. Time, distance, distracting environment, provoking the dog to make an error in the trainer’s action. You need to start by holding for a while, without leaving the dog. This is the simplest exercise. It is important to ensure that the trainer does not stand in a tense position near the dog, but can calmly take out food, give it to the dog, pet the dog and move around a little around it. After this, you can begin to train endurance for distance.

There are two basic principles for teaching a dog initial restraint:

The dog must learn a simple rule: if it breaks its restraint, the trainer will forcefully seize it. If she sits quietly, the trainer will give her food;
Another option is to simply sit with food all the time and feed only in the “sit” position. If the dog is not distracted, wants to eat and quickly forms associative connections, then this method works and allows you to work on humanism alone. If the dog is very distracted, resists and doesn’t really want to eat, then this method is unproductive.

Training attention to the trainer during holding

As soon as the dog has learned self-control in the frontal position, it is advisable to begin practicing attention to the trainer. It is very good if in the future the dog, when executing a set of commands “sit, lie, stand,” can look at the trainer without being distracted. This helps in proper operation. Any distraction interferes with clarity, speed and correct execution technique. This training of attention is well known. A common way to reward a dog for looking at the trainer. First, this is done by orienting the dog with food, then through conditioned reinforcement and giving food, but without orienting the dog with food.

A bunch of commands sit down

To more quickly master the correct technique for executing the “sit” command from different positions, it is better to divide the sit-lie and sit-stand combinations into two separate exercises. First, the dog sits down and lies down many times, receiving food for correct actions, and then sits and stands up many times, also receiving food for correct execution of commands. The dog inside the ligament must work with either front or hind legs constantly stationary. If a dog, from a sitting position, lies down throwing its front legs forward when lying down, and when it sits down again, pulls its hind legs towards its front legs, then the dog’s technique and habit of moving forward during the complex are consolidated. Lack of promotion is important primarily for sporting dogs and for dogs that are trying to be taught the “correct” work. If the dog is trained on the principle of minimum effort and minimum exercise requirements, then you can allow the dog to progress during the complex. You just need to take into account that if the dog, in principle, advances a little in a calm state, then when it is excited, it will advance on the complex for a long distance and perhaps simply run to the owner, interrupting the exercise.

A bunch of commands sit stand

It is very, very important that the sit-stand sequence and the sit-lie sequence are performed by the dog using the same technique. Either permanently motionless front legs or permanently motionless rear legs. Only in this case the dog will not advance in the complex. The task of separate ligament training is the formation and training of the correct unambiguous execution technique. At this stage, the trainer seeks from the dog not just the execution of the “Sit” command, but the technically correct execution of the command.

Variable reinforcement schedule

Training the execution of the sit command with variable rewarding of the dog, that is, not for every execution. Initially, to accustom him to this reinforcement regime and subsequently to use this regime to reinforce better execution of the “sit” command.

Speed development

Only after the technique of executing the “sit” command has been selected and developed, does it make sense and be possible to work on speed. Why do you need speed of execution of any command at all? A dog that clearly understands what and how to do after the “sit” command, has no desire to conflict with a person, is not distracted by extraneous factors, and has a desire to receive a reward from a person, works quickly. A dog that does not understand well what and how to do, does not strive to earn a reward, is not ready to obey the trainer, is interested in the environment, has a bunch of plans for the next five minutes, works slowly. The speed of execution directly depends on the absence of internal and external conflicts between different motivations. A refined dog, cleared of extraneous motivations and conflicts, aimed at quickly receiving a reward and trying to avoid correction, does not think or evaluate, it simply quickly follows the “sit” command. Speed can only be gained through coercion or encouragement; there is nothing else. Either the dog should strive for a reward and therefore work quickly, or the dog should strive to avoid correction, that is, it should strive to get ahead of the correction. It would seem that everything is simple, but then nuances arise. As they say, what is good for a Russian is death for a German. Surely the opposite statement is also true. When we apply some means of stimulation to a dog, it is important not only it in itself, but also how the dog perceives it and how the dog responds to it. And this already depends on the previous experience of a particular dog. Let's look at incentive-bait and correction-coercion separately. Let's start with the positive. At first glance, it seems that the hungrier the dog, the better and faster it will work. However, it's not just about pure hunger. The dog's experience in performing small simple exercises for small pieces of food is very important. That is, the dog must be ready for repeated repetitions of simple patterned single actions. The dog must be trained to work in a variable mode. Having not received a reward for a simple single action, the dog should not lose heart, not be distracted or depressed from disappointment, but actively and persistently repeat the exercise again. Only in this case does it become possible not only to lure the dog to work with food, but also by rewarding faster execution of the exercise and not rewarding slow execution, to effectively explain to the dog that you are interested in faster execution of the “sit” command. Let's move on to correction-coercion. If you begin to force a dog that has not been trained to actively obey the correction, then most likely instead of acceleration you will get resistance and clamping, which will only slow down the execution of the “sit” command. That is why we have already outlined the stage - teaching the dog to carry out the “sit” command using different influences. Guidance with food develops activity and perseverance, the “food + mechanics” synchronization teaches not to be afraid of mechanics, mechanics and reward with food after submission is training for active submission.

Loss of stimulation effects with food and mechanics after a command

The ultimate goal of our training is for the dog to comply with the command without stimulation-guidance with food and without coercion with correction. The dog should simply work on command. The question is why this happens and how to get it. There is such a concept, introduced by Anokhin, “advanced reflection”. One of the principles of GNI work is prediction and preparation for an event that will occur after some time. Such prediction and preparation are naturally possible only on the basis of previous experience. From a philosophical point of view, the anticipatory reflection of reality is a property of any living matter. But we will not go into these jungles. We're still talking about dogs. The trainer, always and immediately, after the command “sit”, pulls the dog up with the leash and presses on its lower back; the dog, having experienced discomfort from these actions, sits down in response to them, gets rid of unpleasant influences and receives a reward. If such a sequential chain of events is reproduced regularly, then the dog, on the command “sit”, predicting a subsequent jerk with the leash up and pressing the hand on the lower back, sits down before the person makes these unpleasant impacts. And this is quite logical. If a couple of times after the builder shouts “Look out!” If a brick falls on you from above, then the third time you will jump to the side without waiting for the brick to fall on your head. This is called “an advanced reflection of reality.” The same applies to positive stimulation. If, after the message “the salary has been delivered,” a huge queue forms at the enterprise for money, then a reasonable person, realizing that the salary has been brought, will try to run first and join the line at the very beginning in order to get the money faster. Likewise, a hungry dog that needs food, knowing that at the command “sit” the food will appear at a certain point in space, will try to sit down faster and raise its head to the food. If, in addition, she knows that the faster she sits, the faster she will receive food, then the dog will be ahead of the actual appearance of food. But all this works if we put a standard, unambiguous and repeatable chain of events into the dog’s memory. As a rule, this does not happen. The owner of the dog really wants to quickly see how the dog, without food or coercion, sits down on its own at the command “sit.” Therefore, he periodically experiments, checking whether the dog has learned to work without stimulation after the command. As a result, the owner gives the dog the experience of variability and unpredictability of reality. The dog must receive a large package of experience, which contains many similar chains of the same events. Repetition statistics convince the dog of the advisability of anticipatory prediction and anticipatory action, that is, execution of the “sit” command before real influences from the trainer. Demonstrating to a dog that sometimes after the command to “sit” he has to sit, and sometimes after the command to “sit” no one sits him and he manages to fail to comply with the owner’s command, leads to the fact that the command “sit” will not be a guideline for him, by which she predicts events. That is, by which she predicts the advisability of sitting down in order to avoid trouble and receive a reward. Main conclusion. The cancellation of influences is carried out mainly not by the trainer, but by the dog itself. Have the patience to properly combine the command with the influences. If the dog does not try to get ahead of the influences and does not start working on only one command, then this means that either you have no patience, or the dog is very distracted, or the dog does not respond to the influences themselves by correctly executing the “sit” command. These are two separate topics. Achieve a good response to the influence and correctly combine the command and the influence, so that after some time the command replaces the influence. If the dog does not sit down well in response to the influence, then no matter how you combine the command “sit” and the influence of the dog sitting down, the desired result will not be achieved. If a command replaces an insignificant influence for a dog, then the command will also be insignificant, that is, poorly executed.

Execution of the “sit” command in various positions of the dog relative to the person

The main positions of the dog relative to the person are the initial position, the frontal position, the main position on the left, the main position on the right and some others. The dog should not be embarrassed by different positions; therefore, it is necessary to train the execution of the “sit” command, regardless of how the dog is positioned relative to the trainer.

The command to sit with a gesture, how to teach correctly

Accustoming a gesture in a frontal position, training in performing the “sit” command given by voice, voice and gesture, gesture. Teaching a dog to follow the “sit” command using a gesture is based on two mechanisms.

A combination of an already practiced command to sit and a gesture (development of a second-order conditioned reflex);
Changing (reducing) the real impact on the dog into an initial movement, which in its development can still turn into an impact if the dog does not comply with the command.

In practice, both of these mechanisms are present for teaching a dog to carry out the “sit” command based on the trainer’s gesture.

Teaching a dog to follow a command at a distance from the trainer

To proceed to work at this stage, it is necessary that the dog fulfills the command to sit near the trainer well. It is highly desirable that the dog already executes the “Sit” command without any influence from the trainer. That is, the dog must know well and carry out the command at a close distance from the trainer. After this, you can start working from a distance. The general initial principle is that the command is given at a distance from the dog, and after that the trainer immediately approaches the dog for influence. You need to start from a distance of one or two steps. The trainer must pronounce the command in full and immediately after that step up to the dog and force it to sit down if it does not have time to sit down before he steps up to it. After the dog sits, you need to praise it and give it food. There are two main variations of this exercise. The “sit” command, as part of a complex at a distance, and the sit command, which is given to a dog in a free state not far from the trainer. In any version, this exercise requires that the dog perform this exercise on command without influence from the trainer. In this case, if the dog has not followed the command at a distance, the trainer steps up to the dog, and the dog finds itself in a familiar situation in which it can easily carry out this command. He said the command, quickly jumped up to the dog, forced him to comply, and rewarded him. The purpose of such repetitions is to convince the dog that there is no difference between the situation when the trainer says the command “sit” near the dog and when he says the command from a distance. After the dog begins to confidently work at a distance of 1-2 steps, you can increase the distance. During the lesson, you need to change the distance at which the dog works. Sometimes command next to the dog, sometimes at a distance of 1-2 steps, and sometimes 3-4 steps. You must constantly approach the dog and encourage it to quickly execute the command. This is where one of the main mistakes lies in teaching the “sit” command, in fact, the same as when teaching the “lie down” and “stand” commands. If the trainer is lazy to approach the dog every time and develop the significance of the sit command, that is, to confirm the reliability and justification of the connection “the sit command - the influence that stimulates the dog to sit.” Then this associative connection is destroyed. The dog understands that it doesn’t always make sense to sit on the command “sit.” The dog begins to become attached to a complex signal consisting of several stimuli. For example, the command “sit” and the second signal is the trainer’s approach to the dog. Or the command “sit” and taking the leash, or the command “sit” and the brutal expression on the trainer’s face. To form a reliable command execution, the command must be confirmed as many times as necessary for the dog to ensure that the command is inevitable. When a dog is convinced that the command “sit” is ambiguous, it will not carry out this command consistently. True, we also have another mechanism for training a dog. Not through the Pavlovian connection between command and influence, but through the operant connection between sitting down and receiving a reward.

Teaching a dog to carry out a command at a distance from the trainer using a different scheme

And when executing the command “sit” near the trainer and when learning to carry out a command given at a distance from the dog, it is permissible to shift the emphasis not on forcing the dog to act, but on rewarding the dog for an action already performed. It looks like this. The trainer gives a command, the dog follows the command “sit” and after that the trainer approaches the dog for a reward. If the dog does not follow the command, then the trainer does not approach the dog and force him to follow the command, he simply does not give the dog any reward. The work is not done and therefore there is no salary. After some time, the trainer again gives the command; if the dog complied with it, then the trainer rewards it; if it does not, then the trainer again ignores the dog. To work this way, the dog must be very interested in the food or toy. When receiving a reward, she should experience an explosion of positive feelings, and the lack of a reward after the dog has not followed a command should be some kind of punishment for her. That is, if you want to work using only positive reinforcement, then this is only possible if the dog is very motivated to receive it.

Working at a distance with a variable reinforcement schedule

After the dog has learned to obey the command to sit at a distance reliably and correctly, it is necessary to move on to variable rewarding. When should this be done? When a situation arises in training a dog in which, after giving a command, approaching the dog and forcing it to sit is no longer necessary. The dog almost always sits on its own only on command, so the trainer approaches the dog to give it food or a toy. To get rid of constant approaches, the trainer sometimes does not reward the dog with food for following the “sit” command, but simply praises and says “walk” or gives the commands “stand” and “lie down.” It is important not to confuse the variable mode of rewarding the dog with the absence of a reward if the dog does not comply with the command. First, for the correct execution of a command, the dog always receives a reward; the absence of a reward is information for the dog that he is doing something wrong. When the dog has already learned to work correctly and consistently, we sometimes skip the reward in order for the dog to develop endurance in work and the ability to work for a long time without reward. Gradually, skipping rewards becomes more frequent and eventually the dog works with almost no reward. Naturally, when a dog works very often without a good reward, the quality of the command to sit deteriorates, which is completely natural and normal. The system of conditioned reflexes is mobile and can both be developed and restructured. This is why sporting dogs are kept in constant training and regularly rewarded in training. This is done in order to maintain high speed and accuracy of command execution.

Further training in various conditions and circumstances

After the dog has learned to obey the sit command under normal circumstances, you can begin to complicate the conditions and situations in which the dog must obey the sit command. The general principle, as in any training, is from simple to complex. Since further complication of the work is not prescribed in the standards, you can come up with any situations as long as the dog is physically able to perform complicated exercises. For example, you can work in water or throw a ball to the dog and stop it halfway with the command “sit”, blindfold the dog and leave it in a sitting position for a while, etc.

Regulatory design of testing the skill of performing the sit command

At competitions or tests, the command to sit is checked in a complex of commands “sit”, “lie down”, “stand” and is included, as part of the exercise, in checking the commands “near”, “place”, “fetch”, the dog must also sit in front of launch on any obstacle. In all these exercises, it is necessary to carefully work out the accuracy and correctness of sitting down on the command or without the command “sit”, if this is specified in the test standard. The complex must be trained with a preliminary approach to the work area on the command “nearby” and with leaving this work area on the command “nearby” after completing the complex of commands “sit”, “lie down”, “stand”. And another important point, even if the dog is trained to perform the complex with motionless hind legs, when moving nearby, you need to teach the dog to sit down with motionless front legs at a stop. In this case, when testing the “moving alongside” skill, the dog easily maintains the correct position both when moving and when stopping. The same goes for frontal calling. If a dog can only sit backwards, then no matter how closely it runs up to the trainer during a frontal call, it will still end up too far from the trainer after landing on its hind legs.

I hope that this article will help you more correctly and effectively teach your dog such a simple and important command as the “sit” command.

An older version of this article can be found.

This skill is necessary because the sitting position is the starting point for practicing many skills, it is included in a number of other, more complex ones, and is often used when working with a dog.

The conditioned stimuli when developing this skill are the command “Sit!” and a gesture - quickly raising the right hand forward slightly above shoulder level (palm forward). Unconditioned stimuli are a treat, pressure on the croup and a light tug with the leash.

The development of the skill begins after the initial training of techniques on the command “Near!” and “Come to me!” The skill can be developed in two ways: 1) taste-enhancing (using treats); 2) contrasting (using pressure on the dog’s croup and a jerk with the leash, followed by reward with a treat). The choice of method depends on the individual characteristics of the dog. Thus, the 1st method is more often used when training young dogs, dogs with a predominant food reaction, overly angry dogs (for fear of being bitten when pressing on the croup and jerking the leash). Usually the 2nd method is used, since the developed skill in this case turns out to be more durable.

1st method. The dog is on a short leash, the trainer holds it in his left hand 20 -25 cm from the collar. The trainer takes the treat in his right hand and stands to the right of the dog. Having said her nickname, after a short pause he gives the command “Sit?” in a commanding intonation, he brings his hand with the treat to the dog’s muzzle, letting him sniff it, and then smoothly raises his hand above the dog’s head and moves it slightly back towards the withers. The dog, trying to get a treat, raises its head, reaches for it, and since the leash keeps it from jumping, it throws back its head and begins to sit down. Seeing that the dog has begun to sit down, the trainer again gives the command “Sit!” and, as soon as the dog sits, immediately rewards it with treats, stroking and the exclamation “Good!”

2- th way. The dog stands near the trainer's left leg on a short leash. The trainer turns half a turn towards her, puts his left leg aside by half a step and takes the leash in his right hand 10 - 15 cm from the collar. Having given the command “Sit!” in a commanding intonation, he places his left hand (palm down, thumb toward himself) on the area between the lower back and croup and presses on it, forcing the dog to sit. At the same time, with his right hand he pulls the leash up and back.

As soon as the dog sits, the trainer, repeating the command “Sit!”, encourages it with a treat, stroking and the exclamation “Good!” After holding the dog in a sitting position for 5-10 seconds, the trainer gives the command “Walk!”, and then repeats the exercise after 3-5 minutes.

After the dog has developed the initial skill of responding to a command, the exercise is complicated - they begin to teach the dog to sit not next to the trainer, but at a distance from him. To do this, the trainer stands in front of the dog facing it and makes it sit on command. Gradually, the distance between the trainer and the dog increases and is brought to 15 m. At the same time, the trainer must carefully monitor the dog’s behavior, and to do this, move away from it, first backing away and only later in the usual way. If, when the trainer leaves, the dog tries to get up and follow him, then the command “Sit!” is immediately given loudly and in a threatening intonation. If the dog does get up and goes to the trainer, they quickly approach it, give the command “Sit!” in a sharp, threatening intonation, sit it down in its original place and reinforce the command by pressing on the back and jerking the leash. Simultaneously with the increase in the trainer’s withdrawal, the dog’s exposure time in a sitting position is also increased and brought to 5 minutes.

Then they practice landing the dog according to the gesture. To do this, the trainer, moving 2-3 steps away from the standing dog, makes a gesture, accompanied by the command “Sit!” Gradually, the issuance of the command after the gesture is increasingly delayed, and finally the command is applied only when the dog does not sit on just one gesture. The dog's landing by gesture is reinforced with a treat, stroking, and the exclamation “Good!”

Some dogs have difficulty developing the skill of sitting by gesture. In this case, do this. The trainer moves away from the standing dog two steps, having first turned the collar with the attached short leash ring down, and turns to face it. Taking the leash in his left hand and slightly pulling it, he, moving his right hand from bottom to top, as when giving a gesture, hits the leash, while simultaneously giving the command “Sit!” After holding for a second, the right hand is lowered, a step is taken and the dog is rewarded.

To strengthen the landing skill and improve it, the following complications must be used: the trainer should move away from the sitting dog in different directions at a distance of up to 15-20 m; increase the dog's time in a sitting position to 5-8 minutes; move away from the dog at different paces (walking, running); give the command “Sit!” or a gesture in different positions of the dog (when it stands, lies, moves); increase the number and strength of various distracting stimuli. In this case, it is necessary to carefully monitor the correct position of the dog when sitting (position of the croup, paws, etc.). All these complication elements are first introduced when the dog is working on a leash.

The skill is considered developed if the dog clearly, quickly and reliably sits down from any position and under any conditions at the first command or gesture of the trainer, being at a distance of up to 15 m from him, and maintains this position until the next command with a delay of up to 5 minutes.

When practicing this technique, the following main mistakes of the trainer are possible:

Inept use of an extended leash when moving away from the dog (causing pain to it);
Inability to take into account the type of behavior of the dog, especially when practicing endurance;
Late correction of errors in the position taken by the dog when boarding;
Repeated repetition of the command until exposure to an unconditioned stimulus.

Some owners are sure that the dog does not need to be taught commands if it does not take part in competitions and exhibitions. But this is a fundamentally wrong position. A well-mannered and obedient pet is not only a reason to be proud, but also an opportunity not to experience behavior problems during a walk or in other situations. This is true not only for representatives of large or fighting breeds, but also for decorative dogs, which can also cause a lot of trouble to the owner, surrounding people and animals.

This is rather a rhetorical question, since dogs are highly trainable and, with due attention and patience, can master any skill they want. Some people want their pet to fetch items, while others want them to guard their home. The main thing worth highlighting is that he must respond to his nickname, hear and obey his owner when he receives an instruction or sees a warning gesture. There cannot be a single list for non-service breeds, so it all depends on the owner and personal preferences. Nevertheless, there is a list of basic commands that develop the animal’s agility, obedience and intelligence.

"To me"

One of the basic commands that must be practiced until it is executed perfectly, since in some cases it can save the pet’s life. At first it is pronounced when the dog is already running towards the owner, and later - using attracting objects (treats, toys). The order is given in a calm voice from a short distance, and when the student has mastered it a little, you need to increase the distance and, ideally, achieve fulfillment even when the owner is out of sight (for example, in another room).

You should not use the command “Come to me” before doing things that are unpleasant for the animal (trimming claws, scolding for something, etc.).

"Sit"

Another mandatory command that allows you to stop the dog at the right time and take a sitting position. To begin with, it is pronounced at the moments when the puppy begins to sit down on its own, and subsequently at the request of the owner after pronouncing the order. To master it, you need to show and let the animal smell the delicacy, then raise it above your head and voice the order. You can simultaneously help the animal by gently pressing on the sacrum area.

“Come” and “Sit” are the two most important skills that must be performed the first time, regardless of the situation or mood. Without mastering them, you should not let your dog go without a leash while walking.

"Near"

This skill will be useful so that the animal does not frighten others in public places and follows the owner. It is recommended to start the lesson when he has walked around and will not be distracted by external factors. Training takes place in motion, on a leash, which is kept 20-30 cm from the collar. The owner moves at a moderate pace and clearly says “Nearby.” If the dog moves away from your leg or gets underfoot, you need to use a leash and a repeated order to return it to its place and, if successful, reward it with a treat. Over time, you can speed up or slow down the pace of movement, start running or turn to the side and ensure that the dog is always at your foot and moves in parallel.

"Ugh"

One of the basic skills that requires a complete prohibition of incorrect actions, and will be useful when it is necessary to wean a puppy from biting, jumping on people, lifting prohibited objects or chasing someone. Initially, the skill is practiced on a slack leash, which jerks sharply at the moment the order is pronounced.

You should not abuse this requirement so as not to turn a dog’s life into a series of prohibitions. Repeating it too often risks causing her to simply stop responding to it.

"Place"

The animal must have a clearly marked permanent place, and it must know its location. To train, you need to say “Place” and lure the dog there by showing a treat. When he is in the required place, praise him and give him the tidbit. This demand is usually used for unwanted behavior and means something like a human "go away", for example, if a dog begs food from the table or jumps on guests.

"Lie"

This order is not used as often as “Sit,” but it can also be useful in certain situations, for example, at a veterinarian’s appointment when you need to examine your pet. For training, you can use a treat that is held so that the animal is pulled forward and down and eventually takes a lying position. The second option is, after giving the order, press the withers with one hand, and place the other behind the front paws and push them forward.

It is important to ensure that the dog does not fall over on its side and lies down carefully, stretching out its front legs and tucking its hind legs under itself.

"Stand"

This skill is not only included in the list of standards, but is also often used in everyday life. For example, combing the fur or dressing an animal is much more convenient if it stands upright and does not fall over on its side. Since this command requires more endurance and concentration, training should begin no earlier than 7 months of age. After pronouncing the instruction “Stand,” you need to bend over to the dog sitting next to you and lift it to a standing position, holding it under the belly with your left hand. After holding for 3-4 seconds, you can give a treat and praise.

"Give"

Having heard such an order, the animal must give up the object that it holds in its teeth or guards as its property (a bowl, a toy) and does not allow anyone to approach it. It adapts well to toys in puppyhood, so when the puppy grabs a toy, you need to strictly say: “Give it” and take it away. If necessary, you can stroke, shake the animal or unclench its jaws with your free hand, while repeating the order. To begin with, it is important to return the toy immediately, and over time, increase the gap between compliance and returning the item.

"Aport"

Although this skill is not as important as To Me, Near, or Place, it can be taught from an early age to complement the student's abilities. First you need to put the student in his place and interest him in some object (stick, ball), and when he tries to grab the thing, throw it back and say: “Fetch!” Training is accompanied by a gesture indicating the required item.

"Walk"

Typically used to change activities after completing an exercise. The command is not difficult for the animal. The order “Walk” is pronounced and the direction of movement is indicated with a gesture. If, after practicing other skills, you release the dog each time with the word “Walk,” then there will be no need for targeted training.

"Give me your paw"

The command does not carry any functional load, but will be very useful when it comes time to trim nails or wash paws after a walk. To master this useful trick, you need to sit your pet in front of you and show him a treat clutched in your fist. He will instinctively try to get it first with his tongue and then with his paw. At this moment, you need to say: “Give me your paw” and hold the paw in your hands for a few seconds, after which you can praise the student and give them a honestly earned edible reward.

"Face"

This command deserves special attention and is mastered only after other orders are unquestioningly and instantly carried out. “Face” is a protective, but at the same time dangerous skill, so it is best to learn it in the presence of a professional instructor and at the age of no earlier than 6-10 months. After the words “Face,” the student must attack the object.

Attention: the “Fas” command can only be taught to a psychologically healthy and balanced dog!

Preparation

Before starting training, it is important to realize that there are no stupid pets. Of course, it is advisable to start working immediately after the puppy appears in the house. Starting from 3 months, you can begin to master simple skills in a playful way, since the baby will quickly absorb information. Some people believe that an animal becomes stupid with age, but this is not true - it is more difficult for an adult animal to assimilate new information. But if the moment is missed and the dog has matured, it can also be taught commands at home, if you act correctly and systematically, but it will just take more time.

The main conditions for successful training include a confident, loud intonation of the voice, clarity of gestures and sufficient patience, since at first the animal may not pay attention to either orders or gestures.

Choosing a training location

An area already familiar to the dog, where there will be no distractions (cars, strangers and animals), is suitable as a training place. If the place is unfamiliar, you need to give him time to sniff the new territory and make sure there are no dangers.

Choosing a training time

The time for classes is selected depending on the daily routine and your own plans, but it is not advisable to conduct classes in the middle of the day in the summer. If this is the only possible time, then you should stock up on enough water. You should not start exercising immediately after sleep or a heavy lunch or dinner. The last meal should be several hours before the start of training. Before starting the lesson, it is recommended to take the animal for a good walk or run several laps around the stadium.

Choice of treats

It is important to take your dog’s favorite treat with you, which will motivate him to obey and follow orders correctly. These can be pieces of cheese, boiled meat, dry food, special cookies purchased at a pet store and any other options.

How to praise correctly

Treats and praise (vocally or in the form of stroking) for the dog act as encouragement for correct behavior only if they come directly at the moment the task is completed. A common mistake is delaying a treat, during which actions unrelated to the command may be performed. For example, when mastering the order “Come to me,” the treat is given as soon as the dog is near the legs, but not when it has already approached, sat down, or twirled around. Otherwise, the reward will be associated with the last action (sat down, licked the hand, leaned its paws on the owner, etc.)

If you decide not to use the services of dog trainers, but to train your dog at home, then it is useful to at least know their basic professional recommendations:

Classes are held daily with a gradual increase in time and number of repetitions. To get started, 10-15 minutes will be enough.
The command is pronounced in a stern, serious voice, praise in a softer and more playful voice.
The requirement is pronounced once, maximum twice. Repeated repetition will not be effective, since the dog will be confident that it can follow the instructions the tenth time, which is unacceptable in critical situations.
Before voicing the order, the pet’s name is pronounced, which is a kind of signal to attract attention and follow further instructions.
You cannot raise your voice or start shouting, and especially resort to physical punishment if the student refuses to follow the instructions.
Each successful action is rewarded with treats and verbal praise.
You can conduct classes in one place, and after successfully mastering the skill, change the environment and location.

If you become the owner of a new pet, it is important to understand that a change of environment usually causes stress for the dog. At first, it is important to make friends with him, spend more time and feed him only with your own hands in order to achieve the necessary trust. If you invest enough love, attention and care into a dog to teach basic skills, you can get a well-trained pet that will be loyal to its owner to the tip of its tail.

This command is considered one of the simplest and most important commands that must be taught to the dog.

After all, on the command “Sit!” just control your pet if you need your pet to stay in one place. For example, dogs often jump on their owner when he returns home from work. You can stop your pet’s attempts to jump with the command “Sit!” With the right approach, learning is easy and fast.

Learning process

Having chosen a quiet place for training without unnecessary distractions, the pet is shown a treat in his hand. The hand with the treat is slowly raised just above the head in front of the dog’s eyes. If the hand is too high, the pet will begin to back away or jump, trying to reach the treat. If the hand is too low, the dog will not sit down. Therefore, the position of the hand should be such as to encourage the pet to sit.

When the dog sits, he is given a treat and verbally praised, but not petted with his hand. When the fur is stroked, the animal will most likely stand up. If the dog does not want to sit down, does not understand what they want from it, then with the help of their hands they force the pet to take the desired position. To do this, bend the hind legs with your left hand or apply pressure on the croup, and hold the chest with your right hand. Having sat the pet down, fix the position for 5 seconds without removing your hands. Then they give a treat.

Subsequently, they practice the exercise with the introduction of a command word. Ultimately, the pet will learn to follow the command “Sit!” without the help of the owner and without numerous treats.

Some features

At first, the pet is rewarded for every correct attempt. Gradually the number of treats is reduced, giving them randomly.

The first lessons, especially with puppies, should be short. But the command is practiced several times during the week. Some animals learn the exercise faster.