?Sit Up? Buddy: Training Your Dog To Sit Like You

The trick of "sitting up" is easily taught to small dogs, but should try not be included in a big dog's education, as it is difficult for them to preserve their balance.

The training of sitting up is one of the first tricks to teach and forms the groundwork for many other dog tricks. To train a dog to sit up, prepare some treats as a reward, and set your dog on his haunches in a corner, so that he cannot fall either backward or sideways and has very little or no space to lose balance.

Keep him from pitching forward by holding one hand under his chin and with the other hand hold the treat above his nose and keep repeating distinctly and deliberately say, "sit up." Do not make him sit up too long at any one time, but repeat the lesson frequently and reward him often with plentiful of praise and treats.

During his first lesson he will require considerable assistance from your hand to prevent him from pitching forward, but as he gets control of the balancing muscles and understands what you want, he will depend less and less upon your hand to keep him in position and you can gradually render him less assistance until you will only have to keep one hand in position two or three inches from his neck or chin, so as to be ready to prevent him pitching forward; later on you can withdraw this hand entirely and simply hold the treat just above the level of his head.

By constant practice he will sit up well after you set him up; then he should be set up against the wall, so as to afford him a support for his back only, and after he has been well schooled at this and can keep his position easily, practice him against chair legs, cushions or other objects that afford him less and less assistance, until finally he learns to preserve his balance and sits up without anything to lean against.

During all these lessons the words "sit up" have been impressed upon his mind by frequent repetition, and now comes the final lesson to teach him to sit up as soon as he hears the words, and the chances are, if he has been diligently drilled, it will be necessary only to call him out in the room, show him a treat, hold it up a suitable distance from the floor, say "sit up" and he will do so, when he should be given the treat while still in position.

The only necessity to perfection is to practice him several times a day until he will sit up at the word and without being shown a reward; that can be given him after he has obeyed.

You have now a foundation for many other tricks. He can be taught to beg by moving your hand up and down just in front of his paws, which he will move in unison with yours. He can also be taught to salute by bringing one paw up to the side of his head, or to hold a wooden pipe in his mouth, or to wear a cap on his head or other articles of wearing apparel.

In teaching a dog to submit to being dressed up, do not attempt to get him to wear too many things at once; try him at first with a cap and after he becomes accustomed to that you can put on a coat and gradually accustom him to the other clothing articles.

Enjoy teaching your dog the "sit up" trick and most importantly have fun along the way!

About the Author:
Moses Chia is a dog lover and owner of DogsObedienceTraining.com - The dog training resource site for a happier and healthier dog.

You are welcome to reprint this article if you keep the content and live link intact.

Latest News


A Season of Responsibility for New Pet Owners
MarketWatch - 6 hours ago
Will the owner have a safe, pet-ready household? -- Will the owner be capable of caring for the pet for its lifetime, both in terms of time and financial ...

Homeless pets still need to eat
Reuters - 22 hours ago
With foreclosures of homes on the rise, so are stories of pet abandonment, but pet food maker Del Monte says sales of dog and cat food and treats hasn’t ...
Earnings Note: Del Monte Foods 2Q09 - Taming Pets The Alacra Store (subscription)
all 2 news articles

Pet-centric Retail Site Muttropolis.com Included in Internet ...
MarketWatch - Dec 3, 2008
Featured alongside some of the world's most highly regarded brands, Muttropolis is one of only three pet related sites to be included among the honorees and ...
ToolKing.com Makes Internet Retailer’s Hot 100 Retail Web Site List WebWire (press release)
Ritz Interactive Named to Internet Retailer's 2009 Hot 100 Best ... International Business Times
Ritz Interactive Named to Internet Retailer's 2009 Hot 100 Best ... MarketWatch
all 12 news articles

How to protect your house and pets during a freeze freezing ...
Dallas Morning News, TX - 5 minutes ago
Bring pets inside. Provide adequate shelter that is elevated and facing away from the wind for pets that must remain outside.

Make sure pets have safe, happy holidays
Pioneer Press Online, IL - 6 hours ago
As families start pulling out their favorite holiday recipes and shopping lists and decorations, it's easy to overlook one hairy detail: The family pets. ...

Bob Shallit: New animal hospital to offer hotel luxury for pets
Sacramento Bee,  USA - 8 hours ago
"It won't look like an animal hospital," says Dr. Schenck, who has run Mueller Pet Medical Center near Sac Executive Airport for the past 30 years. ...

Hilary Duff Has Precious Pets
Just Jared, NY - 5 hours ago
Hilary Duff buys a couple of fluffy toys for her cat on her trip to Maxwell Dog pet store in LA on Wednesday. Last week, Hilary attended the Rodeo Walk of ...

Weekly Vista

Pets as presents: Cute, but is it practical?
Weekly Vista, AR - 21 hours ago
Adopting a pet at Christmastime may bring joy to the family, but it also comes with responsibilities and expenses for years to come. ...
Exponential potential Arkansas Democrat Gazette
all 2 news articles

InSight UT: Pets line up to take their pictures with Santa Claus
Tennessee Journalist, TN - 16 hours ago
23 pet owners took their animals to the Agri Feed Pet Supply store to get their pictures taken with Santa Claus. Many owners said they participated in the ...
Have your pet pose with Santa to benefit animal organizations Clarksville Leaf Chronicle
Santa Paws is coming to town State Gazette
all 3 news articles

Animal Angel Tree seeks donations for needy pets
Mid Columbia Tri City Herald, WA - 8 minutes ago
By the Herald staff Holidays are a time for helping the less fortunate, and that can include pets too, say organizers of two Tri-City pet assistance efforts ...

Resources