How to Teach a Dog to Sit

You will learn how to teach your dog one of the most basic (and useful) commands.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Training treats, dog, 5 minutes a day

1. Find an open space. Have your dog on a leash, with the leash in your left hand and a small handful of treats in your right hand.

2. Get the dog's attention (by saying is name and/or letting him smell the treats). Hold your closed treat hand level with the dog's nose (he should smell the treats now).

3. Without saying anything, move your hand slowly upward and towards the back of the dog (at the same time). Your dog should follow your hand with his head. Your hand should come a few inches above the dog's head.

4. The dog may not sit on the first few tries. Repeat steps 1-3 until the dog's butt touches the ground. As soon as the butt touches the ground give an auditory reward (something the dog can hear) - like a click from a clicker or a verbal "Yes" - then a treat immediately after the auditory reward.

5. Repeat steps 1-4 until the dog consistently sits on the visual command. Then add the word "Sit" as you move your hand.

6. Repeat steps 1-5 for about five minutes everyday until the dog consistently sits with the verbal and visual command.

Tips & Warnings

• Getting a wild dog's attention is sometimes tricky. Figure out what your auditory reward will be and practice that reward, followed by a treat, over and over. (If it's a verbal "Yes", then just say "Yes", followed by a treat, over and over).
• When the dog is consistent, try just the visual command or just the verbal command.
• When the dog is consistent, vary the treats - sometimes he gets one, sometimes he doesn't. Sometimes he gets on from the right hand, sometimes the left.
• Don't train for more than 45 minutes a day and only spend about 5 minutes on new commands.
• Training takes time, commitment, and consistency. If you don't want to train, you shouldn't have a dog.