3. Teaching your Dog the sit command

One of the most important commands you’ll ever teach your dog is ‘Sit!’

Puppies need to learn how to react to your instruction as early as possible to avoid dangerous situations. If you have just adopted a dog, this is a command he needs to learn very early on.

We all want to take care of our dogs and make sure they don’t run in front of cars or take off after other animals in an off-leash park.

If the dog is sitting calmly by your side, these dangers can be ruled out. As the alpha in your family, you need to decide when your dog should sit and stay and when he can move off.

He needs you to teach him it’s not safe to leave his yard and run onto the road. Approach the lesson calmly. Be patient, offer praise when he does the right thing and be consistent by having everyone in your family use the same commands.

Your dog doesn’t know that, ‘Don’t move!‘ is the same as ‘Sit!‘

Find a quiet area without distractions and take a handful of small tasty treats.

Walk with your dog either on your left or right side, and keep to that side for all lessons.

The purpose of this lesson is to get your dog to sit
without treats and on command.

Get your dog’s attention by calling his or her name in a conversational tone.
Hold the treat in one hand at just about head level (not too high or you’ll cause your dog to jump) making sure he has sighted it.
Move the treat downwards in an arc, in the way a dog would naturally sit. As soon as he has achieved this, reward him with the treat and praise him.
Still using the treat, introduce the word, ‘Sit!’ as his bottom meets the ground. When he’s sitting and is still, offer the treat and praise him or her with a ‘Good boy!’ or ‘Good girl!’
Some dogs understand commands quickly and easily, others may take longer.
Never give a treat unless the dog has complied.
Don’t show disappointment, leave the lesson for later.
Gentle repetitive lessons will achieve the result you want.

Keep the lesson very short, 5–10 minutes is enough, and repeat the exercise several times a day until it is well understood.

When you feel that the lesson has worked, then move on and introduce the ‘Stay’ command,