Sit Before Chowtime

MY DOG JUST WON’T SIT.

Are you sure your dog knows

the word “sit”? If you are sure

she does, then try holding the

food bowl above her head

and moving toward her. This

should cause her rear to drop,

especially if her back is against

a wall.

BEFORE YOU START

Teach your dog to sit 

TIP! Don’t “free feed” your dog.

Instead, offer her a meal, and if

she hasn’t finished it in fifteen

minutes, pick up the bowl.

TEACH IT:

It’s never too early to start learning manners. Teach your

polite pooch to sit before receiving her dinner.

1 Prepare your dog’s meal and hold it out of her reach.

Tell her to “sit.” She may be so excited that she can’t

contain herself. Give her several chances to sit and

help her by using the food bowl to lure her head up

and back, causing her rear to drop.

2 If she does not sit, turn away and put the bowl out of

her reach for a minute.

3 Try again a minute later. When your dog does finally

sit, even for a second, mark that instant by saying,

“Good.”

4 Immediately put her bowl down as a reward for her

politeness.

WHAT TO EXPECT:

This exercise helps build good

manners in your dog. It builds a habit of asking politely for

her dinner rather than demanding it.

Home life revolves around daily routines: cooking, eating,
cleaning, and getting everyone out the door on time. The skills in this
chapter will show you how to establish routines that foster a harmonious
household  

The skills presented here are not
behaviors that you train once, but rather
manners that you practice every single
day. In time, they become a pleasant
dance for both you and your dog, as
you progress through the steps of sitting
before chowtime and having multiple
dogs show restraint while their food
bowls are being distributed. They
are pleasant because they become
anticipatory steps toward the known
pleasant result.