The sit command could easily be labeled as one of the easiest to teach a dog. It is one of the most basic and useful commands that your furry friend should master. It can help create a gateway for further training and can help with better behavior. It is something that can be applied at any time of day, whether you want your dog to stay calm while visitors come over or you’re cooking dinner and don’t want distractions. Here is a step-by-step guide to achieving the sit command with your dog.
Gather the necessary supplies
Before you dive right into the training process, make sure you have all the essential items so your dog will understand what you want from them in the first place. The first thing I always make sure to have is treats, something small with low-calorie value that your dog enjoys for a reward when they do good things. The second thing you will need, which isn’t necessarily a supply, is a quiet environment. A place where your dog can only focus on you and not other people in the house or other animals.
Gather your dog’s attention
Before you even attempt to teach your dog something new, you need to ensure that they are listening to you and are aware you will ask them things. I like to start by giving the dog I’m training half of a treat or a few pieces of their kibble. That way, they can realize I have goodies and now are searching for more.
Lure the dog to sit on its own
Instead of forcibly pushing the dog on its butt so it can sit, the best way is to lure the dog to sit and reward once it does that. It will learn the trick sooner if it does the action by itself. The best way is to hold the treat just above the dog’s nose and slowly move your hand upwards toward their head. As your dog follows the treat with its eyes, its back end should naturally lower to the ground as it tries to reach for the treat. If they don’t fully sit but make a movement closer to the sit still reward for the attempt.
Implement the word
Once your dog can consistently get their butt to touch the ground with your guidance then you can start to give the command, “sit” in a clear and calm voice. Timing is crucial in this stage, saying the command as they sit will help them associate the action with the word. Don’t get discouraged if they don’t learn the word right away, this will take time.
Repetition is key
Practice this process several times a week in short, focused sessions of about 5-10 minutes. Dog’s attention spans are not very long and you want to keep your training sessions fun, if they are bored they will not respond to what you want from them. If your dog doesn’t get it right away, be patient and keep practicing, consistency is essential.
Teaching your dog to sit is an important skill that lays the foundation for other, more difficult commands and helps improve behavior. By following these few steps, using patience, consistency, and positive reinforcement, you’ll have a well-trained dog that listens to your commands and behaves better in various situations.
