Behaviour and training | PETS
http://www.petsmagazine.com.au 47
Sit
With that out of the way, it’s time to get started
on the most basic of doggy commands: sit.
Here’s what to do:
- With a treat in your hand and your dog in a
standing position, lure the dog’s head up and
back in a slow motion by placing the treat right
on your dog’s nose. Jamie suggests thinking of
the treat as a magnet! - The dog’s nose must always follow the treat.
As your dog’s head tilts back, his natural reaction
should be to sit. “As soon as the dog’s bum
touches the ground, say ‘yes’ or click and reward
with a treat and lots of praise,” Jamie explains. - You can then slowly relax the movements
you use to get your dog to sit by just moving
your hand upwards. The dog should then move
straight into a sit. Mark with a click, reward and
praise, and then practise many times until your
dog can sit just by seeing your hand signal (with
no treat in your hand). - Now you can start assigning a verbal cue by
saying “sit” and using your hand signal. “Ensure
you say ‘sit’ fi rst, then use your hand signal —
never at the same time. Keep repeating until
your dog sits before you give them the hand
signal,” Jamie says.- The next step is to start varying the duration
that your dog has to hold the sit position before
you give her a reward. You may ask your dog
to sit for fi ve seconds, and you then release
by saying “yes” and delivering a tasty treat.
Remember to make the duration unpredictable
each time.
“We can also capture a sit by saying the word
‘sit’ and reinforcing when the dog naturally falls
into a sit position, such as after approaching
you,” Jamie explains.
Drop
Training your dog to drop is fairly similar to
teaching him to sit.- Hold the treat in front of your dog’s nose.
- Slowly move the treat towards the ground
and out away from your dog. Your pet should
follow the treat in such a way that her body
drops towards the ground. - When his belly hits the ground, say “yes”
and reward with a treat. - With practice and repetition, you can
Stay is a command that can be applied to so many diff erent situations with your dog.