Sit and Wait
One of the very first things we teach puppies when they come home is ‘sit’. This is a great baseline to start teaching a dog self control. Teaching a pup to sit and wait at the door before going outside, before each meal, when you want to take a picture where he’s not bouncing or pooping, or asking him to sit and wait before meeting Aunt Betty are all great ways to teach a pup or dog self control.
To teach a dog to sit and wait first teach him to ‘sit’ and once he has that mastered, make it a bit harder for him by taking a step away before returning and rewarding him. Ask him to ‘Wait’ as you move away and always reward him by returning to him and giving him a treat. Rewarding him in place reinforces that what you want from him is to wait.
Waiting builds a dog’s patience over time and helps him remember to stay calm.
Playing the game of Sit and Wait is a bit like Red Light/Green Light. Once your dog has gotten good at waiting, you can play the game with him. Move around, jump up and down, make silly noises, or play with his toys. If he moves, freeze and wait for him to sit down again remember to reward him for being still, or if he stays still for a while, give him his reward.
Go slowly and build up his skill level at this game a little at a time.
