How to Train Your Puppy to Sit

First, you want to make sure you are on the same level as your puppy. Crouch, kneel on the floor, or sit in a chair so you are at the same height as your puppy.

Hold the treat about an inch away from your puppy’s nose and slowly move it up and towards the back of his head. Your puppy should follow the treat with his nose as you move your hand up. As he does so, his rear head will lower towards the floor.

As soon as your puppy’s rear end touches the floor, click or use a bridge word, such a “yes” or “good,” and then immediately give him a treat. You do not need to add in the command word right away.

Wait until your puppy gets up. If he walks away from you, wait for him to come back or call him over. Then repeat the process. Use the food to encourage him to sit and then immediately click or say your bridge word and reward the behavior.

After a few repetitions, you can add in the verbal command. You can do this by saying “sit” right before your puppy’s rear end touches the floor and then rewarding him. Over time, he will begin to associate the word “sit” with getting a treat.

Continue working on 'sit', giving the command earlier and reducing the lure.

As your puppy becomes familiar with the command, begin giving him treats less frequently. You should still praise your puppy every time he sits, but you are slowly working towards him sitting without any treats at all.

For this method, you will need to be within arm’s length of your puppy to guide him into the proper position. Sitting down or kneeling on the ground is a good way to achieve this.

Place one hand on your puppy’s chest and the other behind his rear legs. Using gentle pressure, press upward on his chest and against the back of his knees. As you guide him into the sitting position, say “sit.”

Once your puppy is sitting, give him a treat. You want the reward to come as close to the action as possible so your puppy associates the treat with the “sit” position.

Your puppy will likely stand up soon after reaching the sitting position. Repeat the process of guiding him into a sit and rewarding the behavior several times.

After practicing a few times, try saying "sit" without guiding your puppy. If he sits, reward him. If he doesn’t, guide him into the position while saying "sit" calmly and firmly. Reward him as soon as he is sitting.

Slowly, your puppy will begin to connect the word “sit” with the action and reward. As he learns the skill, you can alternate between giving him a treat and another reward, such as petting him or giving him a toy. This process helps reinforce the behavior.

For this method, you need to settle on a word to mark the behavior you are looking for. A marker can be a click or a certain word, such as “good” or “yes.” You will use this marker every time your dog sits to mark the behavior you want.

This step requires some patience. You will need to wait until your puppy naturally sits down. As soon as he sits, use your marker and give him a treat.

Continue to watch your puppy and use your marker combined with the treat. It will take a few tries for your puppy to realize what is happening.

Some dogs simply sit more than others. Using this method may take a while. You will need to be patient and continue to reward your puppy immediately every time he sits down during your training sessions.

In the beginning, you are only rewarding the desired behavior. Once your puppy catches the idea of the game, he will start to sit over and over to get more treats. When you notice this happening, you can add in the verbal command by saying “sit” just before his rear end touches the ground and then rewarding the behavior.

Your goal is to get to the point where your puppy doesn't need a treat to sit on command. As your puppy progresses, give him treats less often. You should keep using the marker until you are confident your puppy is fully trained on the "sit" command.