Knowing how to teach a dog to sit is one of the most basic and simple tricks you can learn to master. It is one of the first commands most dogs learn and can be built off of in order to teach more complex tricks. Teaching your dog to sit can also help with a number of behavioral obstacles and is crucial in the quest for your pet to become well-mannered.
Below is an easy to follow method that will show you how to tach a dog to sit. It is a very effective way to train your dog to understand and act upon the “sit” command. As with all training exercises it requires dedication and time on the owner’s part, but once mastered, it will be ingrained forever in your furry friend’s mind.
An important fact to remember, and the foundation of knowing how to teach a dog to sit, is that since dogs are four-legged animals they cannot actually look upwards without first going into the sitting position. You will definitely use this limitation to your advantage as you go through the teaching process.
1. Find a proper reward
There are several different opinions when it comes to using food or treats as a teaching tool. If you prefer to use a favorite toy instead that will work just as well. This reward will be used to guide your dog into the sitting position. For most dogs, praise is a great reward too. Dogs tend to love their owners unconditionally and a little praise from you can go a long way.
2. Say the command
The command you choose can be pretty much anything that you desire. Of course, commonly the simple term “sit” is used. In order for your command to be efficient it needs to have two parts. You should always start with your dog’s name first and then follow it with your chosen sit command. This ensures that you are getting your pal’s attention right off.
3. Move the reward
As you say the command slowly move the reward object from in front of your dog’s nose to just over their head until they go into a sitting position. Keep it fairly close to their body to ensure they can see it clearly.
4. Reward the dog for sitting
When your dog enters into the desired sitting position, immediately reward them. It is best to issue the reward and praise as soon as their hind quarters touch the ground. This will firmly attach the action with the command and let them know their action was correct.
5. Repeat
Very rarely is a dog going to “get it” on the first few tries. Like every trained action, the sit command takes a good bit of repetition and patience in order to become fully “programmed” into your pet’s behavior. After some time and practice it will become very natural.
Potential Problems
As with any training, there are a few problems that can arise when you are going through the motions of this training technique. Below are two of the most common and how you can address them right from the beginning.
-Your dog raises his front paws as he sits
This usually indicates that you are lifting the reward object too high over your dog’s head. Simply move it closer to them when you lift it and it should keep them a little more “grounded.”
-Your dog backs up to follow the lure
If your dog refuses to sit but instead just backs further away from the reward object in order to get it in his field of vision, you might want to consider trying to do the exercise in a corner. You really should not push their back end down to the floor in order to train them to sit. It is always better to let them do the action themselves if you wish them to be trained properly.
 | Once you have taught your dog how to follow the sit command correctly you will both feel a definite sense of accomplishment. You can now amaze your friends and family and even move on to more difficult commands. With the right amount of persistence and love you can easily learn how to teach your dog to sit or follow many other commands and do a number of cool and entertaining tricks. |
| Cute animal tricks are hilarious and heart-warming and that is why Russ Barker sees fit to explain how to teach a dog to sit. Russ is well-known around the office as a blog article machine at DogTagArt.com. This group of pet lovers created a wonderful website with pet safety and style in mind. They offer totally brilliant pet ID tags that let customers get creative and show off their doggie fashion sense. These fully personlized custom dog tags are sure to make a statement while keeping your pet protected. |  |
