Teach Your Puppy to Sit
12/11/2005
One of the easiest commands that you can teach your dog is how to sit. Getting your dog to sit is a very practical trick that you can use in order to direct and control him when needed. When learning to sit, your dog should know what is expected of him when you say the command and obey you every time.
This kind of training is actually fairly easy. The following are two methods that you can try.
1. You should start by getting a piece of small treat. Show it to your dog by holding it just a little over his head and a bit in front of his eyes.
2. Next, say “SIT!” as you move your hand above his eyes. You dog should sit as he look up at the treat.
3. As soon as he sits, give him a treat and praise him by telling him what a good puppy he is. You should do this without petting him; otherwise, he may forget about the command that you just went over with him.
TIP: Accurately positioning your hand in regard to your dog’s head is important when using this technique when training your dog how to sit. If you hold up your hand too high, your dog will determine to jump up. If your hand is too low, it is more likely that he will not sit. You need to position your hand about two inches above your dogs’ head.
TIP: If your dog ignores the command or is having a hard time responding on his own, say “sit” once again. Get him to sit by positioning your right hand on his chest and your left hand behind his knees and under his tail in order to tuck him down to sit. While keeping your hands still, count to five before giving him his treat.
Apply this technique with your dog for ten minutes a day for a week. Some dogs learn to sit almost instantly, while others take a bit longer to learn to sit.