Dachshunds love learning new tricks, and the first trick they should be taught is how to sit on command. When they know this trick you can start learning your doxie other, more difficult tricks such as ‘lay down’ or ‘high-five’. It is recommended to start with ‘sit’ as the first trick, because it can then be used as a base for following tricks.
What you will need:
– Treats
– Patience
Step 1
Find a quiet place with little to no distractions. Training your dachshund inside is the best, as there are many distractions outside.
Step 2
Stand in front of your dachshund. Make sure you breath slowly and send out a neutral vibe. This will help your dachshund to not get overly excited for the fact you’re holding treats in your hand. Make eye-contact with your dachshund to show him you want to interact with him.
Step 3
Hold a treat between your fingertips and say ‘sit’. Make sure you speak clearly. There is no need to raise your voice. Your dachshund will probably look at the treat, maybe he will even try to reach for it. If not, try to get your dachshund’s attention again.
Step 4
Slowly bend over and bring the treat close to your dachshund’s nose. If your dachshund is trying to nip the treat from your hand, hold the treat in your closed fist. Move the treat from his nose to behind his head. He will follow the treat with his nose. As your dachshund does that, he is looking upward and ‘forces’ himself to sit down. He will only sit down if you hold the treat close enough to your his head, otherwise he will try to jump up to get it.
Step 5
As soon as your dachshund sits down, say ‘sit’ again and give him the treat. Praise him with sweet words, but try not to touch your dachshund too much as that could make him lose focus on the training. Say ‘free/release/go’ to release your dachshund from the sit position.
Step 6
Repeat steps 3-5 several minutes. This will help your dachshund understand what ‘sit’ means.
Step 7
You are almost there! Now hold a treat between your fingertips again so your dachshund can see it. Stand up tall and say ‘sit’. As soon as your dachshund’s bottom drops to the ground give him the treat and praise him abundantly. If your dachshund still does not quite get it, don’t worry! He just needs some more time. Repeat the 7 steps two or three times a day for several days. Eventually your dachshund will sit on command.
It is important to repeat the steps every once in a while so your dachshund will stay familiar with the command. If you ever feel like you are getting frustrated during a training session, stop immediately. Only positive vibes will lead to a positive result!
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