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Teaching your dog to sit is one of the easiest and most important commands you can train them. A solid sit is a foundation for other important behaviors like staying, coming when called, or walking calmly on a leash. With positive reinforcement and a little patience, your dog can master this behavior in no time.
Getting Started
Before you start training, make sure your dog knows how to focus on you and pay attention. Have some tasty treats ready to motivate them. Small soft treats or pieces of chicken work well. You want to reward them frequently in the early stages of training.
If your dog is very energetic or easily distracted, you may want to start in a quiet room with few distractions. You can work up to practicing outside around more distractions after they learn the basics.
1. Get in Position
Stand in front of your dog holding some treats. You can have them on a leash or off. Hold a treat close to their nose, say “Sit” in an upbeat, friendly voice and pass the treat over their head toward their tail.
2. Lure Them Into Position
Most dogs will instinctively sit down as they lift their head up to sniff the treat. As soon as their bottom hits the floor, say “Yes!” or click a clicker then give them the treat. Praise them excitedly too. Repeat this 5-10 times.
3. Add the Hand Signal
Once your dog starts following the lure reliably, add in a hand signal. Hold your hand in front of their face with your palm facing up, fingers pointing toward your dog. Say “Sit” then move your hand slightly upwards while giving the treat lure with your other hand. Over multiple repetitions, phase out the treat lure but maintain the hand signal.
4. Practice Every Day
Spend just 5-10 minutes twice a day practicing sits. Provide lots of praise and rewards. Gradually ask for longer sits before treating. Randomly ask for sits in different locations too - near doors before going outside or in the kitchen before mealtime.
Common Problems You May Have to Face
- My dog stands instead of sits - Get down at their level. Hold the treat lower to their nose so they don’t have to look up as much. Reward even slight crouching movements at first.
- My dog won’t sit for more than a second – Reward more frequently with really tasty treats. markup the behavior by praising excitedly when they do sit.
- My dog only sits for treats – Gradually switch to rewarding with praise or pets sometimes. Also practice sits before pleasurable things like meals, walks or playtime.
Proof the Behavior
Once your dog reliably sits on command inside, it’s time to practice outside with more distractions. New environments can be mentally tiring, so keep training sessions short. Carry really tasty treats and reward frequently when your dog focuses on you. If they struggle, move farther away from the distraction. Advance slowly in small increments towards people, dogs or whatever is captivating their attention until your dog can refocus and sit when asked no matter what’s going on around them.
Ta-Da! With regular practice, your dog can master sitting in just a matter of days or weeks. This foundation will make training other important behaviors like wait, down or heel much easier. Plus, you’ll have a well-mannered dog who sits politely for petting, before going through doorways or having their leash put on for a walk. Enjoy showing off their new trick! Just remember, dogs don’t generalize well so proof the behavior in multiple locations. Be patient, keep it positive and have fun bonding with your canine best friend in the process.
