As professional pet groomers, we see evidence every day that “a well-trained dog is a happy dog.” So we’re big advocates of training your furry bundle of love to have at least some basic manners.

Learning to sit is a great place to start.  “Sit” is probably the most useful command you can teach your dog, and it serves as a sort of gateway to all sorts of other desirable behaviors. You can teach your dog to:

 –       – sit before mealtime, which reinforces your bond, and helps him establish good eating habits

 –      –  sit before letting them outside, preventing them from racing out the door. Bolting through doors is just plain rude, and it can sometimes can be a safety concern if your dog pushes in front of people that don’t have good balance (due to crutches, infirmity, etc.)

 –        sit before getting patted, which helps them learn not to jump up on people to get attention, also a potential safety concern

 –        sit before stepping off a curb or crossing the street, while you check both ways for traffic, creating a safety habit that’s good for both of you

 –        sit before getting a treat or playing a game – reinforcing the idea that all good things come to those who sit!

You Don’t Have Spend a Fortune on Trainers.  You Can Do it Yourself!

At first you’ll have to push down on your dog’s rump while telling them to “sit,” and then quickly reward him with treats and/or praise once he is sitting – even if the sit only lasts a second or two and you had to push really hard to get them into position! Keep at it and after a few tries, your pup will figure out what you want him to do when you say the word “sit”.  Keep your training sessions short – 5 minutes is enough – and stick with positive reinforcement. Now here’s the trick….you have to make him *want* to do this silly “sit” thing. 

 Here’s how you do it: make all the other good things your dog wants in life (treats, food, patting, games, up in your lap, etc.) dependent on them giving you a “sit” first. Taking this approach will give you many reasons every day to have your dog practice his sit.

Teaching your dog to sit is a great first step in obedience training, as it covers a lot of territory. Once you have successfully trained your dog with this simple one word command, you can move on to other handy basic obedience commands such as, “sit-stay,”  “come,” “heel,” down,” and “down-stay.”  And even if you never teach your dog any other command besides “sit,” as long as you remind them (and yourself), that all good things come to those who sit, your pup’s continuing practice of this approach to doggie life will help ensure you have a happy, safe, and well- mannered companion for years to come. And your groomer will appreciate it too!