Teaching your dog how to sit is one of the most common and useful tricks.
You can start teaching this trick to puppies, but remember, puppies have a limited span of attention (they get easily distracted). So it’s better to wait until the dog is a little older.
All tricks will take time to learn, and it’s always important to be patient. When you are training your dog (any new trick), give him sufficient breaks, and continuous positive reinforcement. So, how can we teach our dog to sit? Let’s get started!
Preparing The Training Environment
You should find an area familiar to your dog, where he feels secure. Another vital factor to consider is to avoid any distractions. That’s why is best to train your dog indoors when you are not expecting visitors or in quiet areas outdoors.
The best option is to find a quiet room with sufficient space, where you will be able to control him, reward, and communicate in peace. Let other members of the household know that you will be training with the dog, to avoid distractions.
Teaching Your Dog To Sit In 5 Simple Steps
1) When you found a quiet spot to train, make sure you prepare some tasty treats. When your dog is standing on the floor, hold a tasty treat close to his neck.
2) Move the treat in an “arc” motion over the dog’s head. The dog will follow the treat with his eyes and head, possibly sitting down. The key to moving the treat is, making the dog sit down. Immediately after the dog sits, reward him with a treat, and praise him.
3) Repeat this training at least 10 minutes a day. If you can, try not to skip any days (consistency is necessary).
4) The dog will soon learn that sitting down brings him a treat, and he might sit for longer.
After a few days of training, you can start using the word “sit” when he sits down. Prompt timing is critical (using the word sit, in the time when the dog sits on the floor- not sooner/later).
5) Continue practicing for days, or weeks, until you feel that dog has learned the trick. Eventually, you can move your training to an area with more distractions, to make it more challenging and reinforce it. Patience, consistency, and rewards are essential when training your dog. Keep that in mind.
Problems That Might Occur In Training – With Solutions
If your dog is refusing to sit down after several tries, you can try gently pushing him into the sitting position. Pushing is not the optimal way, but you can give it a try. Avoid any form of punishment. Rather than that, try to offer tastier treats (fresh meat, sausages, cheese, personal favorites, etc.).
It doesn’t happen too often, but your dog might still refuse to sit. In this case, observe your dog. When the dog is calmly sitting, reward, and praise your pet, using the word “sit.” Try this as often as possible (when the dog is sitting). Another useful addition is using a clicker. When the dog is sitting, reward him, use the word sit, followed by the clicker.
Conclusion:
Teaching a dog to sit, not to jump on you or others and to walk with a leash are three very important parts of your dogs training.
Additional Sources for inspiration:
https://www.wikihow.pet/Teach-Your-Dog-to-Sit
