Teaching a Pomeranian how to sit is one of the basic things you will do when training your pet. Usually, this can easily be taught by making your dog sit down during meals or snacks. In this simple way, you can easily train your Pom to be more behaved and respectful of you. Keep on reading to find out specifically how you can successfully conduct a Pomeranian house training.

The word “sit” may be very easy to utter for you as the owner. However, for a Pomeranian who has never heard of this word before, it could be problematic. Especially if the dog has not learned any word to action association.

First Things First

Before you begin the process of training your dog to sit, keep in mind the essential things before you begin. If you proceed with the training sessions without knowing the basics, it might result in failure. This will make things go more smoothly in the long run.

  1. Compliment your pet

Telling your pet that he or she is doing a good job is essential. Although your pet may not be doing everything correctly, simply saying the words “Good job!” will motivate them. You may offer a nice pat on the head. Moreover, you can also show your praise by saying “Good boy” or “Good girl” with a good smile on your face.

  1. Time your pet

Your Pom has moods. One day, they could be very enthusiastic and energetic to train. However, there will be days when they will be stubborn and easily distracted. This is a challenge for you to catch his or her attention. As an owner and trainer, it’s important to spot the times when your pet is at their optimum phase to learn. Don’t force a training session when your Pom is feeling ill or unenergetic.

  1. Have a positive outlook

Your dogs are very intuitive. This means that they can sense your mood and vibe. Thus, when trying to train your dogs, make sure you have a positive outlook. Always have a smile on your face and a cheery voice. This will help them get motivated to do better. Meanwhile, if you let out a disappointed sigh once in a while, your Pom will get the vibe you’re trying to send.

  1. Don’t physically move your pet

When you get frustrated, you may be tempted to physically move your pet into position. You may think it’s a good idea to move your pet into your desired sitting position to make things go quickly. However, this will only slow down the training process. Remember to not do this as this will surely do the opposite.

When training your Pomeranian puppy to sit, you want it to be a slow yet effective. When you physically move them, the action will only be temporary. What you want is for this skill to be deeply embedded in their brains like a reflex. You want your Pom to associate the word “Sit” with the physical action of sitting. Physically moving them yourself will defeat the purpose of training.

  1. Don’t say “No”

The word no rings a bell in your Pom’s ears. Once they hear this word, they will feel very defeated. Thus, you should avoid saying this while training your dog. As previously mentioned, you should always have a positive attitude during the training session. Make things very light-hearted for your Pom.

  1. Assign a release word

Your dog might know when to sit but they should also know when to move out of the sitting position. A simple word like “Okay” will dog good. Other release words could be confusing to your Pom. Keep the release word simple and easy to understand.

  1. Give reward using treats

You want your dog to associate the word “sit” with the action of sitting. Furthermore, what you want is to make it as muscle memory. However, you can only achieve this through repetition. If you do this without rewards, you would have a difficult time trying to make your dog focus. Thus, you should use treats during the training period.

You want to use a treat that’s lightweight. Moreover, it should also be something you don’t mind giving out every once in a while. You don’t want to give treats that are heavy on the stomach.

  1. Schedule the training

Every skill needs to be done repeatedly in order to master it. Teaching your Pomeranian puppy to sit is not an exception. You need to set a fixed schedule of when you would conduct trainings for your Pom. The ideal schedule would be once or twice a day of ten to fifteen-minute sessions. If done correctly and if you’re Pom is cooperative, your Pom will learn in a matter of weeks.

“Sit” and “Release”

The “Sit” command is something trainers all love their dogs to master. When you utter this command, you want your dog to be sitting squarely down on his hindlegs until you utter the “release” word which we previously discussed. Though you have a release word, you shouldn’t expect your dog to be sitting down for too long. Later on, you may prolong the time that your dog is sitting down. However, in the beginning, this shouldn’t be for too long.

white-pom-wear

Things You Should Know

This command is one of the first commands, if not the first, that your dog will learn. Dogs can learn this new command as early as seven weeks. Properly space the timing between the training sessions per day. Ideally, you want one session to be done in the morning and one in the evening. This will ensure retention.

As we previously talked about, treats are essential in the whole process of sit training. Treats serve as a positive reinforcement for your Pom. Thus, you want your dog to be a little hungry when doing the sessions. However, your dog shouldn’t be too hungry to the point of starvation as this will affect his or her attention and focus.

It’s important to keep in mind that every dog is different. Every dog has his or her own pace in learning skills. One dog may be very quick to pick up the sitting skill but may be a little bit slow to pick up a different skill. However, if the training sessions go well and everything is done correctly, there’s no need to worry. Your Pom will pick up the skill in a span of two to three weeks.

Always remember to give praise and rewards to your Pom for doing a job well done. Avoid saying words like “Uh-oh” and always keep things positive and light.

Here are the things you should have ready prior to sit training your Pom.

  • Choose the right location
  • Have a treat in handy.
  • Have a leash and harness.
  1. Choose the right location.

It’s up to you whether or not you want to train indoors and outdoors. Just keep in mind to do this where there is little to no distractions so your dog will be in focus. Choose a location that’s noise-free or at least quiet so your dog can clearly hear the commands. Stay away from places with loud music or with other people talking as this might cause confusion.

  1. Have a treat in handy.

We’ve previously talked about the importance of giving rewards to your Pom during training. Make sure to always have them with you. This is so you can easily toss a treat to your dog when he or she does a good job.

  1. Have a leash and harness.

This is most important especially if you’re going to train outdoors. You want to keep them close in case he becomes distracted by the outside environment. Select a harness that’s comfortable and not too constricting. If your Pom is not comfortable with the harness, it might affect your training sessions negatively. Moreover, use a leash that’s thin but strong and not too short or not too long. These will all depend on the age and size of your Pomeranian.

brown pom with wind

The Training Session

When giving the treat, make sure to hold it a bit higher than the dog’s head. Then, move the treat over the dog’s head so his nose will point up and his rump will drop on the floor. Once his rump is on the floor, allow your dog to have the treat to signal that this is the desired behavior. Finally, utter the words “Good sit!” to let your dog know that you’re delighted with his action.

Now you dog already knows the sit command. The next step is to wait for a little while before you give the treat. Keep in mind to only give the reward if your dog is actually properly sat on the floor. If your dog is unable to do so but has made an attempt, keep encouraging. Do not hand out the treat.

As the days go by, you can now slowly increase the duration that your dog is sitting. Once you utter the release word and your dog moves out of the desired position, praise your dog and pat. However, don’t offer a treat.

As the weeks pass by, you want to keep things fun and different. You may want to switch up the treats you use as a reward. You may also do the training sessions in different times. However, make sure that your dog already knows the command once you do this. Otherwise, your dog may be confused. Never change the command word or the release word.

The principle of positive reinforcement with treats is something that’s also applicable with other skills. Later on, you might want to potty train your dog. The process will also be similar with training your dog how to sit. Moreover, if your Pom just won’t stop barking, you can also use the principle of positive reinforcement. It might be a bit different but the basic principles are the same.

There’s nothing more satisfying than a dog who is well-trained and is respectful of you. Hopefully, by following the Pomeranian training tricks above, you can get your dog to learn how to sit upon command. Training sessions shouldn’t be stressful for the both of you. Always keep in mind to keep things light. Always have an encouraging and happy attitude.

Here are some videos that might get you to understand (and some inspiration) what it needs to train your pomeranian to sit. Train Pomeranians dog isn’t easy as any other dog training but it is possible. So just be patient and get it done step by step.  Good luck!

Related topics you might like: