Greater Swiss Mountain Dog Training: Commands Every Dog Should Know
The greater Swiss mountain dog is a dog breed that is said to have been developed in the Swiss Alps. This dog results when the indigenous dogs mate with the large Mastiff types that were brought to Switzerland by the foreign settlers.
The dog is said to be large and heavily-boned and with great physical strength. Although, the dog is large, it's usually agile to perform the all-purpose farm duties that it was originally used for.
To ensure that the dog is well behaved, you need to ensure that it knows a number of commands. The most common ones include:
Sit
The best way of teaching this command is by holding the food bowl above and behind the dog's head. In most cases a puppy will lose balance and sit.
You should reinforce by saying the command, 'SIT' and then praise and reward it with a treat. To ensure that the dog gets used to the command, you should repeat the process during each meal.
You should note that older dogs tend to have better balance so they may not lose balance and sit when you hold food above and behind their head.
In such cases it's recommended that you use a leash with no slack to keep the dog still then holding the treat above the dog, command it to 'SIT.' If the dog refuses, you should use your thumb and forefinger to apply pressure in front of the hip bone.
Down
This command is best taught after the SIT command has been mastered. You should note that this command can bring about misunderstanding. For example, 'down' can be used when asking the dog to lie down.
The command can also be used when asking the dog to get down off a chair or sofa. To avoid misunderstanding, it's recommended that you use the command when asking the dog to lie down. If you want to train the dog to get off a seat, you should use the command 'off'.
To train the 'down' command, you should draw your dog into a laying down position by dragging a food bowl between the dog's legs. Once the dog attains the desired position, you should praise it and offer a treat.
No
Here you need to use an authoritative and strong voice to relay your displeasure. When giving the command, you should not use the command together with the dog's name. For example, you should not say 'No Tommy.'
The best way of going about it is using the command alone. For example, if you find your dog licking the kitchen utensils you should give an authoritative 'NO!'
