Every dog owner wants to teach their pet as many commands as possible. Let’s figure out why a puppy needs to know the “Crawl” command and how to teach it. A skill such as crawling can be useful for animals that are used in various services, when the dog needs to move unnoticed. If you are wondering: “How to teach a dog to crawl?”, then the first thing you need to know is that this command can only be performed if the pet can perform the commands: “Lie down” and “Sit”.
Some teach their dog the command “Crawl” only to develop the animal as much as possible. Moreover, the moment when you give this command and your pet happily crawls to you looks great. Naturally, it will take a lot of time and effort to learn such a command. Such a skill is quite difficult for an animal, especially if it is a puppy. When a pet crawls, those muscle groups are involved that do not work in everyday life.
In order to execute this command, the dog needs to concentrate and understand what exactly is wanted from it. Note that the animal should not be overtired during the practice of this exercise. After all, it may be not only mentally difficult for it to execute the command, but also physically. Many owners make a mistake when they try to teach the dog to crawl, but do not pay attention to what it crawls on.
If the animal is cold or the grass is wet, then it is quite understandable why the dog may refuse to do this exercise. After all, it is not pleasant for it to touch any surface with its skin, which may have small stones or fragments on it. Therefore, first of all, pay attention to the fact that the dog should be comfortable doing the training.
Let’s start learning
Now we will answer one of the most common questions: “How to teach a dog to crawl?” So, the first thing you need to do is think about whether the dog will be comfortable crawling in the place you have chosen. After that, you need to lay the pet down, take a treat and hide it in your hands. Next, you need to lower your hand with treats to the dog and let him sniff it so that he understands that you have a treat. After that, begin to slowly move your hand forward.
Naturally, the dog or puppy will immediately reach for your hand to get a treat and will start moving forward little by little. It is very important not to rush and praise your pet for every centimeter it moves. For example, if the dog crawls a few centimeters, reward it with a treat. In other words, to put it simply, the animal should understand that it will be praised for this movement. The correct execution of the command “Crawl” is when the chest and front paws are pressed to the ground.
Remember that you can’t move your hand quickly, as the dog will rise from the surface. When the dog crawls a few centimeters, give it the command “Walk” so that the animal can rest and not get tired. After all, such an exercise is quite difficult for an untrained dog. In order for the pet to be able to crawl for a long time, all the muscles must be pumped up and get used to such a load. In general, the first stage of training is for the dog to learn to crawl after the hand. When the pet crawls 10-20 cm, you can begin to increase the distance, but this must be done gradually.
The next stage in training will be the gradual elimination of gestures. That is, you will begin to lower your hand not as low as initially, and move it slightly faster. You can try to lead the dog without a treat, because it should gradually develop a habit. If the dog tries to get up, then approach it one step forward.
Please note that you need to say the command “Crawl” exactly at the moment when the dog is crawling, and do it in a calm voice. Do not forget to praise your pet after each step taken. But do not rush to remove the aid, for example, do not immediately remove your hand, since the animal has gotten used to it. It may take several months for the pet to start crawling without a hand. Try to gradually train your pet, and then you will definitely succeed.
What should you pay attention to?
Some dogs may not crawl for a treat, but fall on their side, so try to keep your hand straight. If you encounter such a situation, correct your pet, tell him: “No”, put him in the right position, and say: “Yes”. Then the dog will understand what he needs to do to be praised. You can also reward your pet with a treat so that he quickly remembers the original position.
You can only train your pet in a calm tone. You should not show aggression, raise your voice, or show your displeasure with gestures, as dogs sense this and may simply be afraid. Therefore, be patient and make an effort, and soon you will see how your pet happily performs the desired command.
Other ways to exercise
Now you know how to teach a dog the command to crawl. Next, we will tell you what other options you can use to reinforce the training:
- Give the pet the command to crawl away from you. To do this, you can use another person who will sit on the other side of you and hold treats in their hands. But you should be the one giving the command “Crawl”;
- Ask the animal to crawl to its toy, which should be lying nearby. Ideally, the animal should take the toy and bring it to you;
- You can make so-called gates and place them close to each other. The dog must crawl through all the obstacles and get to you;
What mistakes in learning should not be made?
- It is forbidden to jerk the animal on the leash when you are just starting to train it;
- It is necessary to set optimal distances for the pet to crawl and gradually increase them;
- Please note that the training surface should be comfortable for your pet and should not contain anything dangerous or unpleasant, such as puddles, garbage, etc.;
Following simple recommendations, you can easily train your puppy, who will clearly perform all commands. The main thing is to be patient and understand.
Contact a specialist
If you understand that you are unable to teach your pet this command, then you can turn to professionals. Dog handlers will quickly and easily train your pet, and you will be satisfied with the results. Specialists use modern approaches to training, which dogs perceive easily and simply. Therefore, if you want training for your pet to be only a joy, then the best option is to turn to experienced dog handlers.