How to train a dog to sit and stand?

During the time spent with dogs, training them to master some basic skills, such as sitting and standing, is a very meaningful experience. This not only makes dogs more obedient and well-behaved but also greatly enhances the close relationship between us and our dogs, making our communication smoother.

Dogs are social animals. In their perception, the human family is their "pack," and the owner is the "leader." They are naturally born with the instinct to please the leader, which is the foundation of our training. When we start to train dogs to sit and stand, we are actually establishing a special way of communication with them, just like creating a "language" that belongs only to each other.

Let's first talk about training the "sit" command. Find a space that the dog is familiar with and quiet, such as a quiet corner in the house or a peaceful small yard. Prepare some small snacks that the dog particularly likes. This is the "secret weapon" for training. Hold the snack in front of the dog's nose so that it can clearly smell the aroma. Then, slowly move the snack upward while guiding it towards the back of the dog's head. Driven by the instinct to chase the snack, the dog's head will tilt backward, and its center of gravity will shift backward. At this time, its bottom will unconsciously sit down. The moment its bottom touches the ground, say "sit" in a clear, gentle, and firm tone. Then immediately give it the snack as a reward and offer enthusiastic praise, such as "Baby, you're so great!" or "Good job!" This immediate reward and praise are very important to the dog. They will associate the action of "sitting" with getting rewards and praise, thus understanding that this is what the owner wants them to do.

It should be noted that dogs have a limited attention span, especially puppies. Therefore, each training session should not be too long, and 5 to 10 minutes is more appropriate. During the training process, keep repeating this action, but don't make the dog feel bored. As the training progresses, gradually reduce the frequency of using snacks for guidance. You can first hold the snack in your hand, give the "sit" command, and then give the reward after the dog makes the correct movement. At the same time, you can also match a fixed gesture, such as waving your palm down gently. Make this gesture simultaneously every time you give the command. After a long time, the dog will understand to sit even when it only sees the gesture.

Now let's talk about training the "stand" command. At the beginning, let the dog be in a sitting position. Also hold the snack and attract its attention at a position level with its nose in front of it. Then, slowly move the snack forward and upward. Don't make the movement too large, so that the dog needs to stretch its body slightly to reach the snack. When the dog stands up to reach the snack, immediately say the "stand" command clearly. Once the dog successfully stands up, immediately give it a snack reward and a lot of praise to let it know that it has done the right thing. Just like training the "sit" command, conduct repeated practice. Each training session should be short but carried out multiple times. When the dog gradually becomes proficient in the "stand" command, you can gradually increase the duration of its standing. For example, at first, give a reward after it stands for a few seconds, and then slowly extend it to 10 seconds or 20 seconds before giving the reward, so as to strengthen its memory and execution ability of this command.

During the training process, it is inevitable to encounter some difficulties. The dog may be distracted and inattentive due to various disturbing factors in the surrounding environment, such as other passing animals, strange sounds, or new smells. At this time, never lose your temper with the dog or scold it severely, because this will make the dog feel scared and confused, which is not conducive to the training. What we need to do is to gently bring its attention back. You can use a special sound, such as whistling softly or making a crisp snapping sound, to attract the dog's attention back to yourself and then continue the training. In addition, the dog may forget the commands it has learned before as time goes by, which is very normal. To avoid this situation, integrate the training into various aspects of daily life. For example, let the dog sit first before each meal; let it stand and wait for a while before going for a walk. Through this daily repeated reinforcement, the dog can better remember these commands.

Training a dog to sit and stand is not just about teaching skills but also an emotional communication. Every reward and every compliment are expressions of our deep love and care for the dog. When the dog looks at us with bright eyes and tries hard to understand and execute the commands, the trust and dependence between us will continue to deepen. Seeing the happy look of the dog after successfully learning a new skill, we will also feel sincerely relieved and happy. This is a journey full of love and patience. In this process, we and the dog grow together, and our relationship becomes closer and closer. As long as we train with our hearts and accompany with love, the dog will definitely become our most intimate and obedient partner.