Playing with your dog is not all fun and games. It is also hard work—or so your dog might say. A part of the point of playing with your dog is to help him or her stay in shape. Your dog should feel accomplished and tired after playing. Meet doggy sit-ups.
What are they
Did you know that dogs can do sit-ups too? Well, in all honesty, their sit ups do not resemble ours, but they can still be called sit-ups nonetheless. Doggie sit-ups help to instill obedience and a sense of accomplishment in your dog.
First, get your dog to sit. Then, tell him or her to lay down. Finally, get them to stand up. Congratulations! Your dog performed his or her first sit-up. In the beginning, you might want to reward your dog with small treats after he or she completes each part of the sit-up to help teach your dog the movements involved in the exercise. Your first goal should be to have your dog complete the full sit-up before needing a treat.
How Much
In the long run, you should aim to have your dog perform 10 doggie sit-ups in a row before giving him or her a treat; however, you will probably only get your dog to do one or two sit-ups during your first couple attempts. As with anything in life, slow and steady wins the race (https://youtu.be/m7NuVjpi72c). Both patience and persistence are needed to get your furry friend to comply. Add a new sit-up to your dog’s routine every couple of days until he or she is doing all ten. After completing the daily set of sit-ups, make sure to give your dog a treat.
How To Do It Reliably
By practicing doggy sit-ups every day, your dog should become more familiar with commands like sit, down and stay. If your dog doesn’t yet know these commands, it is a good opportunity to teach them since they will come in handy later. Be accommodating. If it is your dog’s first time learning these commands, do not expect him or her to begin performing sit-ups reliably. Learning too many things in a short period of time can be exhausting, and a dog may give up if you expect too much of them. Just focus on teaching the basic commands first, and then, once you are certain your dog understands the basics, introduce your dog to the full exercise.
Why Do It
As people pleasers, dogs want to make you happy. Doggie sit-ups will help familiarize your dog with simple commands, instill a sense of discipline in him or her, and make your dog feel accomplished when he or she finally earns that oh so sweet treat. Eventually, you can even incorporate some other tricks into the exercise like a spin or a jump.
