Learn to teach your dog the command to sit

Whether you have a young puppy or a more mature dog, teaching him to sit is an essential part of your relationship. This simple command is the gateway to teaching more challenging commands. It is also a greatreinforcer of your leadership over your dog, which is especially helpful if he is of the energetic and unruly disposition. Regardless of your dog’s age, breed, or level of training, it should be fun and rewarding to teach your dog can sit. Any dog can learn this helpful and clear command.

With just about every type of training endeavor, begin teaching your dog to sit in short sessions. He does not have a long attention span, so keep training at small increments to avoid confusion and frustration. Take care to choose an appropriate environment for your training sessions. In the beginning, it is always best to teach your dog in a quiet location, free from distractions. Again, this will keep him focused on the matter at hand, creating a smoother training process. And finally, be prepared to reward your dog immediately after he obeys your command. Some people choose to use treats while other use vocal reinforcement and a pat.

Teaching your dog to sit is really quite simple and requires only your attention, a hand signal, voice command and praise. Lift your hand above your dog’s head to begin the signal for sit. Physics will force him to rock backward onto his hind-end in order to look up at your hand. As he goes backwards, he will probably begin to sit. Watch for this to happen and announce “Sit” as he begins to sit. When he does, offer praise and take your hand down. Give him a few seconds, and then repeat the procedure. As he begins to associate your hand with sitting, he will also associate the rewards with the action.

Never try to force him to sit using your strength. This will only lead to confusion and may cause negative behavior. Have patience and confidence; he will learn to sit. Over time, extend the amount of time you keep in sitting down and also vary the environments in which you ask for the command. In the future, use the sit command when your dog appears to be acting uncontrollably, when you are getting his food ready, before and after you take him outdoors and more. Teaching your dog to sit provides a solid foundation for your relationship and training in the future.