Getting your dog to ask for permission

I'm wondering if anyone else does this. I've found it really useful especially when a dog is young and needs to be reminded who is in charge.

I make my dog ask for permission by sitting. At meal times, she has to sit by her bowl until I say "okay." She's getting pretty good at this though sometimes she quivers waiting for the command.

When I give her special treats, I put it on my knee or by her paw and give the leave it command. She has to sit and wait for the command. When I give the okay, she is allowed to get the treat.

When I give her the treat ball with a soft treat smashed inside, she sits to tell me she needs help. Her tongue isn't long enough. LOL I won't push the treat to the top of the hole unless she sits first.

My previous dog was dominant when she was young. I used the sit command to get back the leadership role. She had to sit to go outside, sit to come in, sit for her meals, and so forth. She was a quick learner and it didn't take long for her to learn that if she sat first she got what she wanted.

I've used this method with two dogs and it is pretty effective in teaching them who is boss. It reinforces the wait and leave it commands, too.

Has anyone else tried this? Have you had success with another method?

 

Yes, definitely. I think it's an important part of training. To get them to follow basic commands on a regular basis will keep them trained over the years to follow your commands. Knowing the "sit, leave it, stay" commands are probably the most important ones, especially when it can be used to keep them calm around strangers, etc, too.

 

I must admit that I am rather hopeless when it comes to training dogs. I just go with the flow. Some are easily trained. Some are naturals without being trained. Some are just plain stubborn. Maybe I treat my dogs more like people than animals.

 

I also do not train our dogs that way, what is important for us is that they knew how to do their "things" outside/in the right place. And also how to behave properly like not biting anyone (unless someone who trespassers ), and how to behave well when there are visitors.

 

Yes, I do. I do the "sit" trick for the 4 dogs in my pack. They all need to sit before they get their meals and they have to wait before I get the leash and bring them to the potty spot so that I don't get pulled to the location. They're also not allowed to eat from the other dogs' bowl if I don't hand it to them.

The ones trained early on are far more compliant than the ones I've trained at a later age in their life. The one I have the hardest time with was the eldest. Coal is 1 year and 2 months now. He is the most difficult to teach but he seems to have understood it now. There are instances that I simply have to stare at him and he would initiate the "sit" position.

One of them, I had started as early as 2 months old. I taught her for 10 minutes and she instantly understood it. Female dogs are far easier to train than male ones (especially when it comes to unaltered ones).