How to Train Your Dog to Sit
Jump to section
Introduction
Teaching your dog to sit on your command is a big responsibility of owning a dog. Basic obedience commands teach your dog to respect you and make you the leader of his pack. If you do not start off early training with basic commands such as ‘sit’, it will be near impossible to teach your dog other commands down the road – making maintaining control of your dog next to impossible. Your dog lives to please you and will work hard for even the tiniest treat to make you happy. Teaching your dog boundaries and when to stop and pay attention starts with the sit command. Imagine having a dog who jumps every time he sees you, your guests, or thinks he is getting a treat. The sit command keeps your dog calm and relaxed and lets him know your expectations of him before he is pet or gets to eat.
Top
Defining Tasks
Though all dogs should know all four basic commands, sit will be the first you might work on in a training class. Once your dog knows sit, he can easily learn to stay put with the ‘stay’ command, he could lie down with the ‘down’ command, and he could move forward to you with the ‘come’ command. Sit is a foundation for the basic commands your dog will need to know for obedience training. Sit is an easy command to teach. You will need to practice with lots of repetition and commitment. Be prepared to reward your dog for his positive behavior when you ask him to sit. Because your dog might not have the attention span to learn sit in one session, you may need to have several sessions over a few weeks to teach sit. Be sure to use sit every day to keep your dog well-rehearsed.
Top
Getting Started
You will need a fun attitude, a puppy or dog who is eager to please, and treats to reward your dog. If you are using a clicker to train your dog, be sure to have your clicker and rewards handy. If you have a puppy and are starting training, clicker training is an effective reward-based method. Teaching your dog to sit can be fun for you both. Be prepared with smiles and rewards for your dog.
Top
The Simple Sit Method
Most Recommended
7 Votes
Most Recommended
7 Votes
Sit
Sit on the floor with your puppy.
Introduce a treat
Hold a treat near your puppy’s nose.
Lead with the treat
Move the treat upward. As he lifts his head to follow the treat, his bottom will lower to the ground.
Reward!
When his bottom touches the floor in a sit position, give him the treat.
Introduce command
Repeat this again using the command “sit” as you raise the treat and your puppy sits.
Reward and repeat
Give him a reward every time he follows your command and sits. Be sure to keep training sessions short and simple.
The Clicker Method
Effective
2 Votes
Effective
2 Votes
Stand
Stand in front of your dog.
Introduce a treat
Hold a treat above his head.
Introduce command
As he lifts his chin, use the command “sit.”
Lead with the treat
Wait patiently as you lift the treat. As your dog lifts his chin to follow the treat, he should sit.
Reward!
As soon as he sits, click and give him a treat.
Repeat
Repeat these steps several times rewarding him each time he sits. Be patient and practice the “sit” command every day.
The Hand Signals Method
Effective
0 Votes
Effective
0 Votes
Introduce a treat
Hold a treat close to the tip of your dog's nose without giving it to him. For some dogs, this may require holding it in your closed hand, so your dog does not snatch it from you.
Introduce signal
Once your dog notices the treat in your hand near his nose, flatten your hand palm up and raise the treat above his head.
Introduce command
Say the command “sit.”
Lead with the treat
Your dog should follow your motion. You should see him begin to lower his body down to the ground following your hand with the hidden treat.
Reward!
Once your dog's butt touches the ground, give him the treat.
Repeat
Have your dog get into a standing position and repeat the steps above several times while rewarding each time your dog sits.
Use only the signal
Once he has the trick down with the command word and hand signal, use only the hand signal without the verbal command. While standing in front of him, place your hand out above his nose with your palm facing up. Wait patiently for him to sit.
Reward
Once he sits, give him a treat. Do not give him any acknowledgment or attention until he obeys the command.
By Amy Caldwell
Published: 09/27/2017, edited: 01/08/2021
Training Questions and Answers
Zoey
Bull Terrier
4 months
Question
0 found this helpful
0 found this helpful
I’m wanting to teach Zoey to not snatch at her food when I put it down and to wait.she does sit for treats. But the rest…nope. I could not find that on your website
July 4, 2023
Zoey's Owner
Caitlin Crittenden - Dog Trainer
1133 Dog owners recommended
Hello, Check out the Leave It method from the article I have linked below. The command you are wanting to teach is wait. To teach wait, you can simply modify the Leave It method. Have the treats in your hand, tell pup wait and let her sniff your closed hand, as soon as she gives up trying to get the treats out of your hand while you wait with the hand closed, tell her take it and open your hand to let her take the treats while she was waiting. Practice this with treats in your hand, then by placing treats on the floor near your foot, so you can cover them with your foot if she tries to grab them before you say take it. When she can do this with small amounts of treats, then use her food bowl and places a few treats in that. Lower the bowl to her level without taking your hand off it while saying wait. If she tries to grab the food out before you take take it, pull the bowl up out of her reach again. Repeat lowering and saying wait, until she will back off of it and wait. When she is backing off, then say take it and lower it the rest of the way to the floor and let her eat the contents out. Repeat this practice with the bowl with small portions until she is good at it. You can then use that command with her meal kibble at mealtimes. Leave It: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-shih-tzu-puppy-to-not-bite Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden
July 10, 2023
Ozzy
australian shepherd mix
3 Months
Question
0 found this helpful
0 found this helpful
My dog is able to sit on command but he will not sit when he is laying down. Any tips on how to get him to sit even when he's laying down?
June 24, 2021
Ozzy's Owner
Caitlin Crittenden - Dog Trainer
1133 Dog owners recommended
Hello Emily, When pup is already lying down, tell pup to sit, then take a step toward them, looking like you will bump into them if they don't move a bit. Most dogs will jump back a little bit into the sitting position at least half the time you do this. When they do, stop walking, praise enthusiastically and give a treat. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden
June 25, 2021