[...] Healthy Pets On November 5, 2009 Under The Basics of Training Once your dog has mastered the sit and stay commands, you may begin work on the down command. This is the single-word command for lie down. Use the down [...]
The Sit And Stay Commands
The sit and stay commands are just as important to your dog’s safety (and your sanity!) as the no command and learning to come when called. Even the very youngest preschool puppies learn the sit command quickly, even if it appears to be a game and a food treat is involved. Your pup should always be on his collar and leash for lessons. Young puppies, even grown dogs for that matter, are not beyond getting up and walking away when they have decided that you and your lessons are boring.
As in most cases with dogs, a food treat always seems to get the lesson across to the student. By placing a food treat in front of the dog, raising it over his head, and telling him to sit, the dog will most likely sit automatically as he follows the treat. If he accomplishes this, praise him lavishly and give him the treat as reward. If this doesn’t work, give the sit command immediately before lightly pushing down on your dog’s hindquarters or gently scooping the hind legs from under him, molding him into a sit position. Praise your dog when he does sit, even though it is you who made the action take place. Continue holding the dog’s rear end down and repeat the sit command several times. If your dog makes an attempt to get up, repeat the command several times. If your dog makes an attempt to get up, repeat the command yet again while exerting light pressure on the rear end until the correct position is assumed. A treat given as a reward will make him eager to repeat the command. Make your dog stay in this position for increasing lengths of time. Begin with a few seconds and increase the time as your lesson progresses over the following weeks. If your young student attempts to get up or lie down, he should be corrected by simply saying, “Sit!” in a firm voice. This should be accomplished by returning the dog to the desired position.
Once he has mastered the sit command, you may start on the stay command. With your dog on leash and facing you, command him to sit, then take a step or two back. If your dog attempts to get up or follow you, firmly say “Sit, stay!” While you are saying this, raise your hand, palm toward the dog, and again command, “Stay!” Any attempt on your dog’s part to get up must be corrected at once, returning him to the sit position and repeating, “Stay!” Once your dog begins to understand what you want, you can gradually increase the distance you step back. With a long leash attached to your dog’s collar (even a clothesline will do), start with a few steps and gradually increase the distance to several yards. Your dog must eventually learn that the sit and stay commands must be obeyed no matter how far away you are. Later on, with advanced training , your dog will learn that the command is to be obeyed even when you move entirely out of sight.
As your dog masters this lesson and is able to remain in the sit position for as long as you dictate, avoid calling the dog to you at first. This makes the dog overly anxious to get up and run to you. Instead, walk back to your dog and say, “Okay,” which is a signal that the command is over. When your dog becomes more reliable in this respect, you can call him to you. The sit/stay lesson can take a considerable amount of your time and patience, especially with a puppy, because of his short attention span. In the case of young puppies, don’t make the stay part of the lesson go on forever. Everything in a very young dog’s makeup urges him to stay close to you wherever you go. Forcing him to operate against his natural instincts can be bewildering to the dog.
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The Down Command | The Healthy Pets
November 5, 2009
