Dog Training

If there is one thing all dogs respond to no matter what they are doing or how well trained they are its receiving a treat of some sort. This reward based dog training also seems to be a constant theme for the majority of dog trainers everywhere. A reward does not necessarily have to be a food treat either. The type of training may also dictate the type of rewards given.

For instance there are some forms of training, such as police or guard dog training, that commonly use playtime after the training session to reinforce what was taught. For the majority of people who are more interested in just basic obedience training small treats work best as a reward when the dog is responding positively to the training. Of course the oldest form of rewards training involves lots of spoken praise and petting to let the dog know they are doing what they are supposed to.

One thing that all good dog trainers know and understand is the negative impact yelling and losing ones temper can do during dog training. This type of behavior on the part of the owner generally will lead to less then desirable results.
Maintaining control with a firm, yet calm demeanor will have any dog learning and responding much quicker then using any heavy handed method.

Dogs have been a part of the human world for thousands of years. In that time they have evolved simply to please those who take care of them. Once they know that what they are doing pleases their owner they will continue to exhibit that
good behavior. A dog will respond positively to positive reinforcement and the challenge of obedience training is getting the dog to understand what you want him to do. By having him do the same thing repeatedly and rewarding him each
time for a job well done you create an understanding and bond that is hard to break.

Reward based dog training should be fun for the dog and his owner. By creating a positive atmosphere for each and every training session your dog will look forward to doing his best to please you. If you create a negative environment
with harsh treatment your dog will be less then happy to attempt to learn anything. His fear of being punished will far outweigh his desire to please you.

Consistency in training and the rewards used will create a well behaved, obedient dog that will be a great companion and friend no matter where you go.

The method you'll use to teach your dog to sit is known as the "lure and reward" method. You'll lure your dog into a sitting position, then immediately reward her. It's a popular method because it's effective, easy for you to do, and easy for your dog to learn.
 
A great "side-effect" of this method is that it allows a natural motion to become a visual cue a form of sign language for your dog.

This is so cool! Dogs are very visual and they often respond to body motions better than they do to sounds. (You'll need to keep this in mind as sometimes it can work against you: to your dog, your voice may be saying one thing while your body language is saying the opposite. In dog communication, body language trumps verbal language every time. We'll cover this in more detail later.)

Imagine being able to use hand signals as commands for your dog when you're on the phone, or too far away for your dog to hear you. It's definitely something worth pursuing.
 
So let's get on with the lesson.
 

Teaching Your Dog to Sit
 
Read this lesson first, and then practice it with your dog.
 
1.  Load up your pocket (or a bag or pouch) with treats.
 
2.  Take your dog to an area where there won't be a lot of
distractions.
 
3.  While your dog is standing, put a treat in your hand, and move your hand to within an inch or so of your dog's nose. Make sure she smells the treat hidden in your hand and is focusing her attention on it.
 
4.  Move your hand slowly backward, about an inch over her head, between her ears, toward her tail. Keep your hand low over her head so she doesn't try to leap up to get the treat.
 
5.  As your dog watches your hand with the treat move just above her head, she will raise her chin up-and her butt will plop down into a sitting position. When that happens, immediately give her the treat and say "Good!"
 
6.  Now move a few steps away. Get your dog to stand and follow you.
 
7.  Repeat Steps 3, 4 and 5.
 
8.  Did you notice you haven't told her to "Sit" yet? Don't say that until you can get her to sit consistently by moving your treat-filled
hand over her head, toward her tail. Once you're sure she's going to do this properly the next time you do that, say "Sit" a split second before you start moving your hand. When she sits, immediately reward her with the treat and "Good!"
 
9.  Repeat this process five times, saying "Sit" just before she does so.
 
If your dog doesn't do what you want
 
If your dog backs up instead of sitting down as you move your treat-filled hand over her head and toward her tail, position her so that she's facing out of a corner and cannot back up without hitting the wall.
 
Practice this lesson two or three times each day during the week. Vary the time of day and location.
 
Do no more than five repetitions during each lesson. Reduce the number of repetitions as your dog learns eventually asking her to sit just
once, two or three times a day. Dogs tend to learn to sit quickly, and repeating the lesson too often will only make them bored (remember, we don't want bored students). 
 

After a few of days of successful "Sit" practice, start to focus a bit on your hand movement. As you move your treat-filled hand over your dog's head and toward her tail, begin to emphasize an upward sweep of your hand less over her head, more in an upward curve toward your body.