How To Train Your Dog To Sit
When I began the process of teaching my dog how to sit I will admit I was a little overwhelmed and unsure of how to train my dog to sit. I knew that it could not be that difficult as people do it every day and they usually have great results. That being said it is much easier to find out how to train your dog to sit than many people initial think and the process is not that difficult at all. Something I learned that is important to keep in mind is to just be patient with your dog and give them lots of praise as that will help your dog learn to sit.
The first step in how to train your dog to sit is to let them know that there is a treat involved and also give them plenty of praise when they do something right. When I taught my dog how to sit I firstly showed him a small treat, one of his favorites, to get his attention. I then held it in front of his eyes and slightly above his head. This will make the dog instinctively tilt their head back to look up which naturally drops the lower portion of their body.
After letting him see the treat as I bring it above his eyes I give him the command to “Sit”. When doing this it is important to use a commanding tone but not one that you would use if your dog was in trouble. Again it is natural for the dog’s lower body to lower as it looks up, this makes using the treat a great method. I found that with a smaller dog it works to squat or kneel in front of them, show the dog the treat, and then slowly move it above their eye level. Once they start to follow the treat with their eyes give the command to sit. With a smaller dog it can be intimidating when you loom over them which is why kneeling down may work better. Also something to remember that I learned quickly is that if you hold the treat too high, too low, or too far forward the dog will jump, stay standing, or back up depending on where the treat is located. It can take some time to find the perfect spot to hold the treating when you are learning how to train your dog to sit.
After the dog sits I am always sure to not only give it the treat but to also give the dog plenty of praise. However, I do not pet the dog when I am giving it praise as this can cause it to get up and move away. I do give my dog verbal praise and give him the treat as reinforcement. If I find that the dog is not listening to my verbal command to sit then I will physically move it into a sitting position.
All dogs learn differently just like people do so it is important to remain patient and practice when you are learning how to teach your dog to sit. By following the below steps you will be successful in teaching your dog to sit.
- Show the treat and slowly raise it above the dogs eye level.
- Give the command to sit as the dogs head raises and its lower quarter naturally begins to lower.
- Give the dog lots of praise (no petting) and the treat when it sits.
- Repeat as necessary.
