Teaching your dog “to sit” is one of the easiest dog training and belongs to the most important basic training for your dog. It is important for the behaviour of your dog and essential for building up its confidence. Teaching this command is fun for you and your dog and can be learned in a short time.

It is maybe a little bit confusing but you really don’t need to teach your dog to sit. They do it all the time but you have to teach them what you want when you say “sit”. Your dog needs to understand “the word sit” and the action your dog needs to do when you call this word. You can compare it with calling his name; if your dog hears his name he will understand you are talking to him. The purpose of teaching your dog “to sit” is controlling its activities and stopping to move around.

It is best you start early with teaching your dog “the sit command” and can already be done when he or she is still a small puppy. The younger your dog is the easier it is for teaching this command.

Here are some tips which may help you to teach your dog “to sit”:

LURING

You can best start with luring your dog in the sit position. No verbal conversation is required in the first phase of teaching your dog “the sit position”. Reward is important and it is best you hold his/her favourite sweet in the palm of one hand. Lift your hand with the reward above your dog’s eyes and caress him/her with your hand back slightly over his head. If your dog looks up and tries to follow the reward he/she will take the “sit position” for maintaining his/her balance.

PATIENCE

Your dog doesn’t understand “the sit command” immediately. Patience is required and it is necessary you repeat this action at least 10 times. Once he/she understands that sitting is necessary for getting the reward, he/she will do it without asking.

TALKING

Your dog understands now what he has to do for getting the reward. You have to teach your dog understanding the word “sit”. Every time your dog sits, you need to say “sit” with a consistent tone. Don’t say it before he sits: he/she needs to understand the name of the behaviour. Reward and praise your dog every time until he loses interest.

PRACTICE

There are several sessions during one day necessary for teaching your dog to sit at any time. It is recommended to have at least 30 sits a day and maybe 10 for each session, more is always better. Reward and praise is always necessary in this phase.

FADING THE REWARD

After all these steps you are standing now straight and talk with a consistent tone the word “sit”. You have to raise the palm of your hand and you put the reward in the other hand and you change the position of the reward every time. Maybe you can put it next time behind your back or behind one of shoulders. It is time now to skip a few times giving the reward. Keep practicing and reward less than before. After some time your dog is be able to follow your command with only your praise.

These guidelines may help you to teach your dog “the sit command” and is the start for improving his ability to understand and carry out your demands. Your dog will be able to learn all the other basic techniques and after some time he/she is ready for more advanced techniques.