How to teach your puppy or dog to sit

When it comes to teaching your dog to sit, it can be quite a long and repetitive task but well worth it in the end. In the guide below we will show you some simple steps on how to teach your dog to sit the fun way.

Make sure you have dog treats to hand

The key to training your dog to sit is by dog treats and/or praise, this shows that dog that when he does what he is told he will be rewarded and encourage him to do it again. It is also important to remain clam and assertive to show that you are in charge.

To begin the dog training, start by standing in front of the dog with your dog treat locked in your hand. By standing in front of the dog shows that you are in control and allows him to focus on you more whilst you begin the training.

With the dog now focused on you, his nose may be curious wondering what is in your hand, so keep your hand locked so he does not see the treat.  

The next step you will need to do is move your hand slowly over the dogs head, this will raise his head as and alert him that something smells good in that hand. 

Make sure to say sit to your dog

With your dogs attention fully on the scent of your hand, slowly move your hand towards his tail whilst making sure you say your dogs name followed by "sit". It may take a few times to get this, but he should start to sit down.

Teach your dog to sit
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Reward your dog

So your dog has just sat for the first time, it's a really happy moment for you and your dog so dont forget to praise and give him your treat! this will encourage him that he has done right and he will be rewarded for this.

You can then take training further by saying when he is allowed to move again using the words "release" after you have praised him.

How long will training my dog to sit take?

Training your dog any trick will take time, it all depends on the dog and how quick he is at learning new things. The key to teaching your dog any trick is being repetitive and rewarding, don't spend hours training your dog one trick as he will probably get bored, just try a few times each day and you will start to see progress.

Have you recently trained your puppy/dog to sit? we would love to hear from you. Get social with The Pet News by leaving us a comment below on your experiences or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Google plus.