Teaching your dog how to sit is a fairly simple task. You don’t even need a crate, unless your dog is still a puppy. Simply place your hand in front of them, with their nose directly in front of yours, and give a quick nod of approval. Then place your other hand on their stomach, and guide them gently into a sitting position. The important thing here is that they are comfortable with where they are and that you are rewarding their good behavior with your touch.
Teaching puppies how to sit can be quite a challenge, because most dogs simply do not like to be commanded. You may have already noticed that some dogs prefer to run and play instead of sit at your command. However, there are ways to train them that can be successful. Older dogs, as well as those who are sick or underweight, can learn how to stay quiet and sit quietly for long periods of time. Even puppies as young as 6 weeks can easily catch on to the sitting-for-payment technique, and even older dogs can sometimes learn to sit without much difficulty if given the chance.
For very bouncy or high energy dogs and puppies, the catching method described further below often works best. Get down on your hands and knees, and then reach out with your arm, palm facing up. Give your dog a treat by holding the open space between your two fingers in front of his nose, and offer a treat several times. Be sure to use the command “sit.”
When the dogs respond in a positive manner each time, begin to raise your arm in a beckoning motion. As you raise your arm, your dog will follow suit and sit as well. This type of training is best used for calm dogs, but you can apply this same technique for hyperactive dogs as well. You must keep in mind that when you are using this method of training, you should be firm in your commands and remain in charge.
For many reasons, the standard reward system was not designed to be used with a Sit-for-Price training method. In general, it is much easier to train a dog by being consistent with the commands and treats. You can teach him to respond to a command by placing your hand flat in front of his nose so he can look at you; then, say the command. He may sniff your hand as you move your arm in a beckoning motion, but if your dog responds in a positive manner each time, he will learn the Sit command much more quickly.
The first step in how to train a dog to sit is teaching him the basic sitting position: stand with your legs apart, then place both hands on your pup’s chest, over his head. Give him a treat and, if he stays in place, give him the attention he craves. This dog trick is known as the luring motion.
The next part of how to train a dog to sit is to begin using the luring motion. With your mouth closed, begin by holding a treat above his head, then move it closer to his head until he has to turn in his seat to reach it. As he has to turn, say the command and give him the treat. Do this repeatedly and when he finishes, offer him the treat and praise him.
When distractions are a factor in your training sessions, always offer treats during training sessions when distractions are not present. A distracted dog will not learn anything and will most likely just lay there. This does not serve your purpose of learning how to train a dog to sit.