Have you been putting off teaching your dog or puppy to sit because you are unsure how to train your dog?  Are you worried that your dog will not respond because you have never “formally” trained a dog before?  Do not put off training any longer.

Teaching your dog the “sit” command is one of the most useful, and one of the easiest commands you can teach a dog.  This is one of the first commands that should be taught to a puppy.  A poorly trained dog is a direct reflection on you the pet owner.   An untrained dog can become a nuisance to its owner.  This causes the dog and the owner to become unhappy.  Whether you have a puppy or a fully grown dog you can teach them to sit with a little effort on your part.

Here are 10 useful tips to teach your dog to sit:

1. You are going to need some treats.  Using food as positive reinforcement is a great way to get your dog to do something you want!  Use small treats that you know your dog enjoys. 
2. If you have a puppy or a small breed dog, get down to your dog’s level by kneeling or sitting.  Standing over your dog is a form of dominance and can cause fear or anxiety in some dogs.  You want your dog to obey commands because they want to please you, not because they are intimated or fearful.
3. Hold the treat in your hand and let your dog sniff the treat.  Do not speak.  Slowly move the treat over your dog’s head forcing your dog’s head back and their chin up.  This will naturally move your dog into the sitting position.
4. As soon as your dog moves into the sitting position, say “sit” and reward your dog with the treat.  Continue to calmly praise your dog with “good sit”, “good sit”.  In the beginning stages of training, only use the sit command when your dog is actually sitting.  
5. It is important that your dog associates the activity of sitting with the treat, the praise, and with the desired action of sitting.  Do not fumble with the treats; the treat needs to happen as your dog is sitting. Work on your timing. 
6. Repeat this exercise a few times a day.  Keep the sessions short and upbeat.  You want your dog to think that “training” is fun.
7. If your dog is not very food motivated, practice before mealtimes when your dog is hungry. 
8. As your dog begins to understand the “sit” command gradually decrease the size of the treat.  When your dog is sitting constantly, scale back on the treats.  Do this by alternating between enthusiastic verbal praise and dishing out treats.  Keep your dog guessing.  
9. Expose your dog to the “sit” command in different environments and new situations.  Practice “sitting” around people, other dogs, at the park, when the doorbell rings, etc.  When practicing in new environments or situations go back to basics and use a lot of treats along with verbal reinforcement.  Scale back on the treats as your dog’s confidence grows.
10. Be sure that you end each training session on a positive note.

Some dogs do not respond well to food.  If this is your dog, you need to adjust your training tactics.  What makes your dog tick?  Is it a particular toy?  Find a toy that your dog loves.  Put the toy away and bring it out only for training purposes.  Implement the toy in your training instead of food. 

Once you have mastered the “sit” command you are ready to conquer other basic commands such as “down”, “heel”, and “stay”.  Continue to use positive reinforcement and never express anger towards your dog’s reaction to a command.  Training is a learning process for both you and your dog.  Be consistent but be patient.  We all learn new things at our own pace and this includes dogs.

Teaching your dog to sit using positive reinforcement techniques will build trust and strengthen the bond between you.  Dog training is an ongoing process.  Dogs are better adjusted and happier when they are trained.  Your dog by nature wants to please you.  Do your part and start teaching your dog or puppy to sit today!

When you first bring home a new puppy dog, excitement is in the air and training may not be something that immediately springs to mind or has been thought out.  How soon should you begin implementing basic puppy manners and training?  Puppy training should begin immediately. 

Training your puppy from the start can set them up for life enabling them to know boundaries and what is socially and behaviorally expected of them in their new environment or “pack”.  Teaching wanted behaviors from the beginning is much easier then breaking unwanted behaviors later. 

Puppies are absorbent sponges that are eager to explore, learn and please.  Begin training your puppy from the start of your relationship and safely expose them to different situations and environments. These early beginnings are the foundation that will form your puppy into a socially acceptable, well behaved dog that will be unafraid of human beings or other animals.

Take your puppy to new environments to explore.  Take them to different parks and take them out for regular walks.  This will build their confidence and also will provide them with mental stimulation. When your puppy is indoors, provide them with lots of toys to prevent boredom and destructive behaviors.  Safe places to play should all be incorporated in your new puppy’s home training plan.

Within the first four months expose your puppy to as many people as possible including children and babies if possible.  Socialize your puppy with other dogs and animals now.  Lot’s of socialization is crucial during the puppy stage and cannot be stressed enough. It will prevent aggression towards strangers and other animals later. 

Dog aggression in older dogs is a common problem for many dog owners.  It is an unwanted behavior that can be very stressful for owners and it can also carry liability concerns.  Dog Aggression is basically derived from fear.  Fear of the unknown.  Developing your puppy’s confidence early, through lots of socialization and new environments, teaches your puppy to be curious about strangers and other animals.  Not fearful of them. 

When your puppy is eating from his bowl interrupt his mealtimes.  Simply pick up his bowl while he is in the middle of his chow.  In a low, calm voice tell your puppy that he is a “good boy” and give him back his bowl.  While your puppy is eating be sure that you often touch him.  Pet him with long soothing strokes and again in a low, calm voice give him verbal praise.  These methods will ensure that your puppy does not get aggressive or protective over food. 

A lot of your puppy’s obedience training should be started in the house.  This is because puppies feel safe in their own environment.  Puppies will learn their earliest commands from you much easier at home rather than a new or strange place. 

One lesson at a time is recommended for step-by-step positive training.  A puppy needs time and patience to understand what is being required of him. Commands or words will need repeating over and over again at first, but perseverance and consistency will avoid confusion. A good time to train is before a feeding time since your puppy will respond well to food treats as a reward.

The use of treats is a positive motivational tool for training your puppy.  Feed the treats from your hand when your puppy has performed the desired behavior and don’t forget, lot’s of verbal praise.

When house training, consistency is the key to success.  If your puppy has an accident inside the house, do not scold or punish him.  The accident is your fault not your puppy’s.  Control your puppy’s food and water intake, keep your puppy in a controlled area, and do not let your pup wander out of your sight if food or water has recently been given. 

Take your puppy out to where you want him to eliminate about 45 minutes after eating or drinking. Reward and praise your puppy every time he eliminates in the right place.  Your puppy will begin to associate eliminating in the right place as a positive experience.

Training your puppy from the start of your new relationship will allow you to bond with each other and will also build your puppy’s confidence.  This confidence will transition your puppy into a well adjusted adult who is a loved addition to your family home.

There are many different types of training collars to choose from.  This can make it confusing for a new owner to figure out which one is best for your dog or puppy.  You need to keep in mind your dog’s health, safety, and size.  You also need to evaluate your size, physical strength and physical problems such as tendonitis, arthritis, bad balance, etc., as a factor in being able to have some control over your pet during walks. 

For example, my personal breed of choice is German Shepherds.  I own a 100 pound male and I am a 130 pound female.  Simple math alone determines that a flat collar or a harness is not going to be effective for me to control my dog.  Another example would be a toy breed.  A pinch collar for this type of dog would be overkill.  Almost anyone should be able to control a 10 pound dog on a flat collar or harness.

If you have a puppy the best collar to start out with is a lightweight, flat nylon collar that is adjustable in size.  As your puppy rapidly grows it is necessary to check and readjust the collar on a weekly basis.

As your dog grows, it will be necessary to adjust and move to a different collar for training purposes and walks.  Training collars are necessary to avoid being dragged down the street by your exuberant pet while out on walks.

Flat collars are recommended for puppies.  This will get your puppy use wearing a collar and having something around their necks.  Flat collars come in both nylon and leather verities and different widths.  Choose a width that is appropriate for your dog’s size.  Flat collars are useful for around the house.  The flat collar can hold your dog’s identification and rabies tags.  Even if your pet has been microchipped, it is a good idea to have them wearing identification at all times.  While in your home you may need to use your dog’s collar as a “handle” to restrain him or prevent him from running out the door.  Should your dog get “snagged” or caught up on something in your house or yard, the flat collar will not give your dog a correction or cause injury. 

Regular flat collars are not ideal as a training device because they provide no control for the owner and often, dogs will pull so hard that they will choke themselves.  While walking your dog on a flat collar, if your dog is coughing and wheezing this is an indicator that they are choking themselves.

A commonly known training collar is one that looks like a chain.  It is often referred to as a “choke” chain or a “choke” collar.  Despite the name, the collar is not intended to choke a dog at all.  The chain should be kept loose at all times and only tightened during a quick correction in order to regain your dog’s attention.  The timing of the correction technique can be difficult for owners to develop which reduces the collar’s effectiveness. 

The breed of the dog and the size of the owner will also determine the effectiveness of the “choke” collar.  The larger the dog the bigger the correction needs to be as time goes by.  If you are an owner with physical limitations, you need to consider if you will physically be able to repeatedly give an effective correction to capture your dog’s attention.  If your physical stature or your dog’s size is not a concern then you need to take into account the pressure that is being applied to your dog’s neck.  The “choke” collar applies the correction (or pressure) to the same area of your dog’s neck over and over again.  Over time this may cause damage and health related problems to your dog.

If you choose to use a “choke” chain as your primary training collar be sure that you buy the correct size to make your training as effective as possible.  You will need to take your dog with you to the pet store to accomplish this. The “choke” collar should barely fit over your dogs head and ears.  If the collar easily slips over your dog’s head without effort, the collar is too big.

A better alternative to the “choke” collar is the prong collar.  Many people are resistant or afraid to use these collars because they look like a mid evil torture device.  However, medical studies have proven, when used properly, a prong collar is healthier for a dog’s neck then any other type of training collar or flat collar.  The prong collar does not allow constant pressure on your dog’s neck.  Unlike the “choke” collar, the prong collar distributes the correction (pressure) evenly around the dog’s entire neck instead of just in one repeated area. 

When the prong collar is applied properly on your dog, any size owner can easily control and correct any size dog with little physical force.  The mistake a lot of owners make is having the prong collar too loose and in the wrong location.  All prong collars are adjustable.  To reduce or increase the size of the prong collar you will need to remove or add links.  The links fit into one another a lot like a chain.

The prong collar should be placed high on your dog’s neck.  If the prong collar is sitting closer to your dog’s chest rather then their ears, you need to remove links and make the collar smaller.  The collar should fit rather snuggly on your dog.  A simple guide is that you should not be able to place your hand between the collar and your dog’s neck.  If your dog is a short haired breed, the collar once applied, should not slid down your dog’s neck.  If it does, the collar is too loose.  If your dog is coughing, wheezing or having trouble swallowing, the collar is too tight.  Add a link.

When the prong collar is fitted correctly and applied properly, the force of corrections necessary from the owner will be small, quick and minor.  You will get your dog’s attention quickly without the use of a lot of physical force and strength.  You, the owner, will gain confidence quickly that you can control your dog at all times under any circumstance.  You will also gain the respect of your dog as the leader.  Instead of repeating a command along with a correction multiple times, the prong collar will enable you to give a command and correction only once to obtain the desired behavior.  This teaches your dog that you mean business and they will be much more likely to comply.

Harnesses are another training device option.  Harnesses are not the best choice if you do not want your dog to pull.  By nature, dogs are instinctively more likely to pull when wearing a harness.  This is because the harness basically “harnesses” the strong musculature of the dog around the chest and legs giving them traction to pull you.

Harnesses are good for puppies and smaller breed dogs.  Harnesses are often used by sport dogs or working dogs in their daily activities or duties.  Harnesses are most often associated with sled dogs.  If you see a dog used for tracking purposes, whether it is for police work, Schutzhund, or search and rescue, you will see the dog wearing a harness.  This is for the purpose of allowing and encouraging the dog to freely roam ahead of the handler without restrictions on their neck and throat. 

The head halter is an alternative to a training collar and many proclaim this to be a “gentle leader”.  The head halter is similar to a halter you would place on a horse and works under the same principle.  It goes around the dog’s face and as soon as your dog starts to pull, their head turns towards you.  Most dogs will quickly learn not to pull when wearing the head halter. 

If you are worried about your own physical limitations, or fearful of hurting your dog through the use of corrections, the head halter is a training device that should be considered.  A drawback to the head halter is that it can be confusing for pet owners to put on and difficult for dogs to get used to.  It may take a dog three times longer to get used to the head halter then a regular training collar.  Patience and practice will be required on the owner’s part. 

Introduce the head halter to your dog in a safe environment like your house.  When you first put the head halter on, be sure it is adjusted tight enough that your dog cannot paw or rub it off.  If your dog gets the head halter off just one time, they will remember this victory and always try to remove the head halter.

Introduce your dog to wearing the head halter in short three to four minutes sessions a few times throughout the day to get him use to wearing it.  Have a leash attached to a flat collar so your dog cannot run away from you and attempt to remove the head halter.  If your dog paws or rubs at the halter, distract him with food treats or toys.  When your dog behaves or reacts calmly to the head halter praise him with long soothing strokes, low calm verbal praise, and food rewards.  Never take the head halter off when your dog is pawing or struggling with it.  Only remove it when your dog is relaxed and not struggling. 

When your dog has become use to wearing the head halter, attach a leash to the halter and let him walk around freely with the leash attached.  Do not implement training with the head halter until your dog is comfortable wearing it.  The time frame for getting your dog accustomed to the head halter is typically a few days to a week.  The time varies from dog to dog and how often you are able to do short practice sessions.

When choosing the right collar for your dog or puppy, take into consideration safety and variable training factors.  Choosing the right training collar may be a learning process for both you and your dog.  There is nothing wrong with trying different training collars until you find the one that is best suited for you and your dog. 

For most dogs, a regular flat collar with their tags is good for everyday wear.  A training collar is just that, to be used for training, for walks, for trips, etc.  When you get the training collar out and get ready to place it on your dog, make a big deal about this event.  Soon your dog will associate the training collar with positive fun events like walks in the neighborhood, trips to the park, socializing with other dogs, etc.  It won’t take long before your dog is excited and eager to have their training collar put on them.

With a little forethought, trial and error, and obedience practice, your dog can be safe and well behaved out in public regardless of which training collar you decide to use.