Teach Your Dog How to Sit

What you will need:

Treats
Clicker

1. Stand in front of your dog without leaning over.
2. Place a small food reward between your thumb and forefinger with a closed fist.
3. Using the food as a lure, hold the food right at your dog’s nose. Move your hand slightly up and back toward his tail, making sure to keep the food at nose level. You want his nose to stay connected to the food like a magnet. If you lift your hand too high, the dog will jump up.
4. Using a clicker, click as your dog rocks his head back and give the dog the treat lure.
5. If your dog is following the lure he will look like he is shaking his head “yes”.
6. Then as you move the treat, your dog’s head should tilt back more and more, eventually causing your dog to sit.
7. Be sure to click and treat for all the baby steps in-between.
8. Once your dog is reliably following your visual cue and treat lure you may add a verbal cue the moment before the sit happens. You will use the treat lure and as your dog starts to rock back you will say “Your dog’s name, Sit” and click and treat when her hind end touches the ground.
9. Be sure to reward small steps toward that final behavior: sitting. DO NOT EXPECT YOUR DOG TO ROCK ALL THE WAY BACK TO A SIT THE FIRST TIME!
10. Eventually, your dog will get it and sit all the way down every time you ask!

It may take time, but your patience will definitely pay off!!