Teaching an Alaskan Malamute the Sit and Down Commands

An Alaskan Malamute can present many challenges in the course of ownership. That is, if you don't understand how to train them. If you start early, you'll have a great shot at transforming one of the largely stigmatized "dangerous dog breeds" into a great canine citizen.

The Alaskan Malamute is one of the smartest dog breeds you'll ever find anywhere, and one of the most loyal. That said, you'll also probably never find a more headstrong or clever breed. Malamutes seem to have a mind of their own. However, in my experience, if you learn to channel that great brain and capture their inherent love of owners, you've struck gold.

Come along with me on a journey in the last week while I train our newest Malamute, my little 12-week-old pup Gabby. These techniques are tried and true for Malamutes of any age. They also will work for any dog breed, large or small.

The videos are short and illustrate all the techniques I have described below as well. As you can see, I have a very talented pupil!

I'm a firm believer in gearing dog training towards the breed of dog that you have. It's important to select the most important commands that you plan to use with your dog. Some commands are always going to be more important than others, and they should be modulated for situations real and imagined. They also need to be geared to your lifestyle and your interactions with your dog.

Below are the essential commands that my Alaskan Malamutes must have "under their collar" so to speak! I have also included the level of difficulty (for them to perform), from my own experience.

The "sit" command is usually the one I start out with when I'm training any dog. It seems to be the easiest and quickest to learn. Training any dog to sit is very easy to do.

Tip: I always use part of their daily amount of kibble to treat rather than using fatty treats, which can easily add unwanted weight over a short period of time and upset their system.

1. Start with a piece of kibble.
2. When your dog is standing in front of you, slowly move the piece of kibble in your hand up and over the dog’s head towards his or her scruff of the neck.
3. The dog will naturally sit by following the kibble.
4. The moment the dog’s bum hits the ground, say the word “sit.”
5. Immediately reward lavishly with praise and the treat.
6. Repeat many times throughout the day.

Eventually, intersperse non-treated "sit" commands with treated "sit" commands. Work on getting the dog to sit more quickly each time.

You can also incorporate a clicker training method for this command easily. Just make sure to always wait for their bum to hit the floor before rewarding with praise or with treats.

Practice this in various locations, so the dog gets used to sitting in multiple situations. Once the dog has mastered this command well, start introducing different "sit" situations such as when someone is approaching.

A seated dog is a better dog because, while seated, they are under control. They cannot lunge at people, jump up on people, or pull you around. A good rule of thumb is to always ask strangers to allow you to have your dog sit before they approach your dog. It is a sensible plan for big dogs so that they are under control.

Tip: I always carry little baggies of kibble with me in my pocket so that if needed, I can "entice" my dog into a sit if a situation is particularly stimulating. Success is the name of reinforcing good behavior.

Teaching any dog to sit is very important. It is even more important when they are walking on a lead.

This command gives you an advantage and also protects your dog. If your dog has been trained to always sit when you stop, you are protecting him or her from dangers such as cars on the street once you leave the safety of the curb.

You are also learning to employ a great little trick to get your Malamute into a controlled position. This command comes in handy time and time again when you are out walking.

It is much easier to control a very large, powerful dog in a seated position than when they are standing. When little 90-year-old Mrs. Pratt comes bustling towards you, 80-pound Gabby won't jump up and knock her down.

Sitting on leash is also very handy when other dogs are approaching or if another dog is out of control. If your dog is under control and you have his or her attention, you stand a much better chance of getting out of the situation unscathed.

An Easy Way to Teach Your Malamute to Sit on Lead:

1. Leash up your dog and make sure you have kibble in your pocket.
2. Begin walking at a normal pace but stop after a few steps. Issue the command "sit."
3. Wait for the dog to sit and then reward.
4. Continue on a few more paces and repeat this process.
5. Practice this over and over, with and without treating. Soon your dog will begin to get the idea that you want a "sit" whenever you stop.
6. This is also a prelude to the "heel" command because your dog begins to anticipate that you are going to be wanting him or her close by (and there is the potential for a treat).
7. Moving on to the "heel" can be easily done by holding a treat in your left hand as you hold the leash and then finishing off with a stopped "sit."

Tip: Keeping the treat in your left hand encourages the dog to stay on your left at all times rather than crossing in front of you to sit and get the treat. In this scenario, you want the dog to your left. You should also work with the dog to accomplish a sit in front of you on leash, too.

One of the most difficult commands for a Malamute to perform is the "down" command. It is, however, one of the first commands that you should teach.

The reason for the difficulty is that this is a command that makes the dog extremely vulnerable and some dogs rebel against it. Obviously, starting out with this command as a puppy is a great idea so this is the second command I teach my pups.

The "down" command is vital to a Malamute's well-being. It can mean the difference between a happy or bad ending in any given situation. If the dog trusts you, the alpha, enough to obey this command, you will always be in control of your dog.

The "down" command is useful for situations where your dog might be having trouble with self-control, such as when kids are running or dangling food around his face. It's also a great command for any time you need your dog to be quiet and simply "drop."

This command bears repeating over and over in all kinds of stressful, noisy situations to be sure your dog has mastered it. Also, making them do a "down" command on walks, at feeding times, and any time, in general, is a really good idea. It keeps them primed and tuned-in to you.

We routinely make our dogs do a "sit" and a "down" before they are allowed to eat. Sometimes several of them, depending on how exuberant they are to eat! It's a way of saying human to dog, "Slow down here pal and focus."

How to Teach Your Malamute the "Down" Command:

1. Have a piece of kibble in your hand.
2. Start with your dog in a "sit" position.
3. Holding the kibble out of reach of your dog's mouth, slowly bring the kibble from the dog's nose in a downward motion right between his or her paws.
4. Go slowly because you want the dog to grasp the concept that he or she is in fact going down.
5. When you reach the floor, the dog will probably be in the "down" position or nearly there. Try to catch the exact moment when all four paws are spread out on the floor and say "down."
6. When all four are on the floor and the "down" is accomplished, praise lavishly and excitedly. This is a hard position for many dogs, but especially Malamutes, at first and in certain situations.
7. Repeat this command often with and without treats.
8. Train the dog to do this command at random in all kinds of situations and you will realize what a valuable tool this command is.

Tip: Make sure your dog masters this command fully before moving on to the "down and "stay." A "down" that doesn't hold will not help with teaching the correct "stay."

I admittedly am very prejudiced when it comes to the Alaskan Malamute and how smart they are. I know their capacity for intelligence and for socialization. However, that said, facts are facts and in order to ensure that my Malamutes represent their breed in the best light, I spend a lot of time training my dogs.

Make training fun with any dog you are working with and your rewards will be two-fold. You'll experience a great feeling of accomplishment but so will your dog! I don't think there is a breed of dog that doesn't enjoy being successful or that doesn't want to please his or her owner.

These are just two of the basic commands to teach a Malamute but I think they are the most important when starting out. They are the springboard for more complicated commands later on.

If you have more training tips for these two basic commands, please add to the comments section below.