How to Train a Miniature Poodle to Sit Down

Training your miniature poodle can be rewarding.

Miniature poodles are smart dogs and they love to please their people. Training your dog to sit is one of the basic commands and one of the most useful, especially if your dog is particularly energetic -- which miniature poodles tend to be. As with teaching any trick, the key is patience and consistency. Use the same words, both for the command and for praise, and always offer a treat to reward positive behavior. With consistency, your dog will come to understand what you want.

Things You'll Need

• Dog treats

Instructions

1. Sit on the floor when initially working with your miniature poodle. In the long run, you'll be more comfortable sitting rather than standing and bending over.

2. Say the command "Sit" firmly while gently applying pressure to your dog's back end to encourage a sitting posture. If your poodle sits, be sure to offer praise and a treat.

3. Hold the treat over your dog's head while saying "Sit." By raising the treat, the dog's natural action will be to raise its head, causing the back end to drop into a seated position. Again, offer praise and reward your dog with a treat.

4. Say "Sit" whenever you see the dog naturally going into a seated position so that your dog will come to recognize the word and associate it with the proper posture.

5. Repeat training sessions no more than five times at one sitting. You do not want the training to become a chore to your dog. The training must be fun for the dog to respond. Also, your poodle will stop wanting treats and the training will lose its effectiveness.

References

• Lucy the Wonder Dog: Training Your Dog to Sit