How to Teach a Puppy to Sit

How do you teach a puppy to sit? “Sit” is one of the most basic commands you can teach your dog or puppy. When you spend time with your pet on obedience training, you’ll be giving him the chance to learn focus and restraint, lessons that will surely benefit your pup as he grows up to be a healthy and well-behaved dog.

Once you finally learn how to teach a puppy how to sit, you can train him to learn many other commands using a method that works best for both of you.

Getting Started

Before you begin with training, prepare some of the things you’ll need, which include:

1. High-quality dog treats.

You’d need a lot of treats when training your puppy to learn a new command. Later on, when he masters the command, you can wean him away from the tricks and have him associate the command with a verbal cue or a gesture.

2. A clicker.

Clickers are available in pet supply stores and online shops. The key to using a clicker is timing. Use it right at the moment your puppy obeys a command and follow with a treat.

3. A controlled environment, preferably indoors.

The training environment should be somewhere the puppy feels comfortable and where he’d be free from distractions. If there are other people in your household, make sure you’re not to be disturbed during training

4. A collar and a leash.

You’ll eventually have to start training your puppy outdoors, wherein you’d need a collar and a strong, adjustable leash to keep him in control.

5. A regular training schedules.

If you’re deciding when to teach a puppy to sit, you can start as soon as possible. Start training a few times a day for no more than 10 minutes at a time. Finish each session with a success and make sure not to overwork your puppy by teaching him only one command at any given time.

How to Teach Your Puppy to Sit

The easiest way how to teach a puppy how to sit is to lure him first with treats.

1. Stand in front of your puppy on ground level and make sure he’s focused on you. Puppies are especially energetic and easily distracted, so it’s best to conduct your initial training sessions indoors, in a quiet, confined space.

2. Show your puppy that you’re holding a treat in your hand. Hold the treat close to his nose and slowly move up around his head. The puppy’s head will try to follow the treat and, in the process, lower his rear to the ground.

3. As soon as he sits, use the clicker or a cue word, and give him the treat immediately. Whenever you give him the “sit” command says it firmly and clearly. Make it clear that you expect him to follow when you give the command once. When he successfully obeys, follow up the treats with praises, to help him associate the act of sitting to getting a reward.

4. Keep repeating the step a few times until he starts to respond more quickly.

Using a Hand Gesture

After you’ve successfully used the lure method to make your puppy sit, you may be asking how to teach my puppy to sit without using treats? Is it possible? It most certainly is. You can introduce a hand gesture to associate with the command.

1. Choose a gesture you’re going to use for the “sit” command. It could either be a fist, your hand in a vertical position, or something else—as long as you and other people living around your dog would use it consistently.

2. Use the hand gesture as you say “sit” in your later sessions. You can continue giving him treats, but make it less frequent. For example, give him a treat once every couple of times he sits on command. Give him less and less until he learns to associate the gesture and the verbal cue with the command.

3. As your puppy sits more quickly on command, start prolonging the length of time you’re commanding him to sit, as well as varying the location. Introduce a verbal command that means you’re releasing him from the sitting position, such as “go.”  Keep practicing until he successfully learns to keep sitting until you release him.

In a week or two, your puppy would have mastered the “sit” command at longer lengths of time. You can then teach him the “stay” command, which is relatively easier to introduce once he knows “sit.”

1. Stand in front of your puppy and have him “sit.” Don’t move and introduce the “stay” command, accompanied by palm up hand gesture. If he moves around, have him sit and try again.

2. As your puppy learns to stay in sitting position and wait for the release command, take one step backward with your palm still up, and stop. Don’t move for 10 seconds. If he stays in position, return to your puppy and give him the release command. Don’t forget to give him a treat and praise to reinforce the behavior.

3. Keep repeating this exercise, gradually taking more steps backwards and waiting longer before you come and release him.

4. As your puppy progresses, it’s time to teach him “stay” with you beside him. Take a step forward and say “stay.” If he follows his natural instinct and follows you, try again. If he obeys, face him again, pause, and return to him with a treat and some well-deserved praise. Gradually take more steps forward. Each time he “stays,” face him, pause, approach him, and give the release command.

Here are extra tips in an infographic how to train them

Knowing how to teach your puppy how to sit is both valuable for you and your pet. Your pup would sure love to be rewarded for a job well done and you’d feel prouder for having such a smart pup for pet. Training together is also a great way to build a bond between you and your baby canine. All it takes is time and a lot of patience to raise your puppy into a confident and well-behaved canine.