Teaching your dog to sit is one of the most basic commands your dog needs to know. It also is one of the easiest if you follow these simple tips.
Create the right atmosphere for learning
A house full of distractions won't help your dog to stay focused on his lesson. If your home is as busy as Grand Central Station, wait for a time when everybody is out of the house. Venture outside if you have a distraction-free space available. Avoid other animals, pets, traffic, and other people. The backyard may be better than the front yard to minimize distractions.
A tired dog is ready to learn to sit
I don't mean the so-exhausted-you-have-to-carry your dog kind of tired. Start teaching your dog to sit after he's had a walk, gone to the bathroom and had some playtime. Make sure he isn't too thirsty or hungry. Your dog will learn a lot faster if he is rid of pent up energy and excitement. This is especially true for puppy training.
Decide on a training method
Clicker training can work really well and may be a good match for you if you don't want to rely on treats to reward your dog over the long haul. You start off by giving your dog a treat while you make the clicking noise with your clicker. He doesn't have to do anything to receive the treat initially. You just want him to associate good things with the clicker noise. If you use the treat method exclusively, always be prepared to have something in your pocket your dog likes. He may perform only when you have something he wants.
Position your dog to sit
Stand next to your leashed dog, so you are shoulder to shoulder. Gently pull the leash upward with one hand while you keep the treat raised up in front of his nose. This will automatically place him in the sit position if he doesn't jump up to snatch the treat. The second the dog's rump hits the ground, say “sit” very clearly. Let him have the treat after you say “sit.” If you are clicker training, keep the clicker in your leashed hand and don't forget to click when you give him the treat. Repeat the lesson several times.
Don't make training lesson too long
Most dogs have the attention span of a toddler according to Ami Moore, a Chicago Dog Trainer. Ms. Moore believes short bursts of lessons a few times a day are more productive than a single lengthy session. “Work with the psychology of the dog and the training is much, much simpler,” she says. Reinforcing the behavior outside of the training sessions also is key to success.
It is important to remember adult dogs are just as capable as puppies to learn to sit. They may need some extra patience since they may have learned some bad habits that must be “unlearned” while teaching the behavior you expect. Sometimes the size of an adult dog makes him more challenging to teach than a puppy. A well-mannered dog is a pleasure that will pay dividends long after the training is over.
