The top 5 things to teach your puppy BEFORE “S.I.T.”
So many of us have been indoctrinated into the belief that “cues/commands are the key to training my dog”. While there IS a time and place for cues, like “SIT” or “DOWN”, we, at Casa Luna Canines, put them in the same category as tricks.
Why?
Because it’s a simple behavior that requires one cue ending in one action.
I say “SIT” (or perform a designated hand signal, whistle, sign or other movement) and…
The Dog sits.
Every time (hopefully)
If there is a “time and place”, why not just teach them first?
In a human world, we have certain behaviors we think are acceptable. Like “sit” as we wait for a conversation. Or “down” if we know we’ll be there for a while. Teaching our dog something makes us humans feel good and your dog now becomes the SMARTEST DOG EVER! It strengthens our bond with our dog and in the end (and beginning and middle) that’s really what matters the most. So that’s why the cues and commands really matter for every day pet dogs. If you’re entering into sport or obedience trials, you’ll have many more, precise cues to teach.
We like to start with things OTHER than cues for two reasons. First, you start to learn how your dog sees the world and takes in information. Second, learning cues is actually a little boring for a dog. It’s like the repetitious math drills many of us had to do in school that made math boring and not relatable to real life. We want learning to be fun for you and your dog so you continue to do it throughout their life.
What’s the point?
The problem with teaching cues and commands early is that a simple cue does not actually work for more complex behaviors. So things like Sit, Down, Roll Over, Shake, Wipe Your Paws are all fairly easy tricks to teach but in the real world, people struggle with puppy BEHAVIORS, not acts of obedience.
Most people, and arguably many trainers, like to put Sit, Down & “STAY” in the same basic category of things your dog must learn. However, STAY is actually a complex behavior that requires your dog to ignore the environment and all the stuff around her and stay in one spot, ideally in one position, until there is another cue to do something else. That’s tough! And it’s why most of us only get our dogs to “pause” for a short time rather than truly “stay”.
Most of us do not know how to actually train for a complex behavior. And that’s where our puppy challenges becomes puppy problems. “Come”, “Stay”, “Wait”, “Go to bed”, “Leave It” are all much more complicated than a simple trick.
Most of us get our puppy and teach SIT! And then we are baffled by the next step in training. There are other cues and behaviors you can teach your puppy BEFORE you teach SIT that are actually more useful, and also help them experience that learning is FUN and interactive, not boring and repetitive.
So, what are 5 things to teach your dog even BEFORE “SIT”?
That’s My Name Game
“Yes” Marker Game
“Here” Cue
Snuggle
“Thank You” Marker
After your pup has these 5 things down, THEN introduce SIT or DOWN. Mark with a Yes. Reward. And move along!
Casa Luna Canines is your partner in dog training, human learning. Join us to learn how to be your dog’s best friend using 100% pain and fear free methods. Imagine what it will feel like when your dog chooses to behave well around you, no matter where you are!
