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"All About Pitbulls"
All About Pitbulls: Page 25
of 28
Teaching your Pit Bull to sit and stay
Now that your Pit Bull has learned to follow the command 'come,' he is
ready for his next trick. Another very useful behavior that you can
teach your dog is to learn how to 'sit.' 'Sit' is one of the simplest
tricks to teach. Learning this behavior is vital because it is an
effective way to control your dog and also help you set the foundation
for other training to follow.
It is very easy to teach your Pit Bull how to ''sit.' Stand right in
front of him while holding a treat slightly above his eye level. Say
'sit' and then move the treat closer to him until it is just above his
eyes. You may have to put your other hand on his rump to prevent him
from jumping up. If he takes a step back instead of sitting down,
place his rear against a wall. When he begins to look up and bend his
hind legs, say 'good' and then give him the treat. Repeat this
process again. Have him bend his legs more and more this time until
he is in a full 'sit' position before saying 'good' and giving him the
treat.
Once your Pit Bull knows how to 'sit,' he then needs to learn how to
remain in the sitting position for as long as necessary. The way to
do this is to teach him to 'stay,' which is another very useful
command that you can teach your dog.
Dogs have a dangerous habit of running off through open doors, whether
from the house or from a car. It is very important to teach your
dog to sit and stay until you give him the signal that it is ok to get
back up. Only then can he walk through the door or exit the car.
Get your dog to sit and then say 'stay' in a calm and soothing voice.
If he tries to get up or lie down, immediately gently place him back
into position. Have him maintain the position for a few seconds and
then give the release word 'ok.' Do not forget to praise and give him
his favorite treat for doing a great job.
Repeat the process again, gradually increasing the amount of time that
he has to sit and stay. However, do not ask your Pit Bull puppy to
stay longer than 30 seconds. The goal is to let your pet succeed, not
push him to the limit. Remember to be patient and to increase time
and distance in small increments.
Avoid staring into your dog's eyes if you think that it will help him
to focus his attention on you. Doing so only creates the opposite
effect. Your dog will sense the staring as a threat and can be
intimidating.
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