The “Sit” command is a simple way to have your dog to display his good manners. He can sit when guest come over, when you meet up with a friend while taking a walk, when you are preparing his meal, or when he has to wait for anything.
It is also one of the simplest exercises to practice because you can ask your dog to sit whenever you want. A Sit is great for everyday things, like having your dog’s his leash attached.
Say his name and then “Sit!” All commands you give should be followed by the dog's name; that is to capture his attention so he knows you are not talking to someone else. Dogs are proud to have a name. It is when they reach adolescence that dogs, like teens, pretend to ignore you. Any time you notice that your dog about to sit, say, “Sit, good dog.” If he is already in a sit position calmly give him a “good sit” reward.
The simplest way to train a young dog to sit is to capture his attention with a treat dangling in front of him right above his nose to make him look up. Then slowly remove the treat in a backward motion over his head. You will notice that he will want to keep his eye on the treat; his back will have to drop to the ground. It takes a little practice but it is a tried and true means of getting a voluntary sit. As he takes on the position, say, “Sit” and hand out a tiny portion of the snack.
This is known as motivational dog training. Your dog performs the preferred action by himself. The other way is to have your dog right on your left side, dangle a snack in front of him with your right hand, and calmly press down on his hindquarters with your left hand. If you have a large dog, you can place your left arm around his hindquarters and with a calm forward motion, lower his knees, forcing the sit. As you are managing with all that, happily say, “Sit.”
If you did the first method, and your dog is doing a quick Sit each time you give the command, you will soon start to use just the hand signal, making the exact upward motion with your hand, palm up as you did in dangling the snack over his head, and your dog will sit as you desired.
Helping With Other Dog Feats
After or while you are trying to successfully manage this sitting feat, attempt other training techniques, too, with dog training videos, workshops, training sessions at the local Humane Society or pet store, or via other books, articles and resources. There are all types of CDs, cassettes, DVDs, videos and other interesting training aids available, too, online and off. So search keyword phrases like, “dog training aids” and then review the top listings that show up for more ideas. Hint: some even offer freebies!
