How to Teach your Dog to Sit/Sit Pretty

Training your dog isn’t just about commands, it’s about creating special moments together! If you have been having trouble keeping your dog still, this is the training blog for you! The following excerpt is a way for you to train your dog with treats and positive reinforcement. There are three easy steps to teaching your dog to sit, and five to teach your dog to sit pretty. Keep reading to learn how to teach your dog to sit!

How to Sit

The materials needed are as follows:

1.     Plenty of treats.

2.     15 to 20 minutes of training time

3.     A quiet, distraction-free space

Note: The more you practice, the better and quicker your dog will learn to sit.

Step 1: Have about a foot of distance between you and your dog. There are two hands in training: your supply hand and your distribution hand. Your supply hand is that hand you will use to hold your treats. The distribution hand is the hand used to give your dogs the treats.

-       Have your dog standing, take your distribution hand, and hold it over your dog’s head. The treat should be close to your dog’s head, but not close enough for them to potentially steal the treat from you.

Step 2: Slowly take the treat back, over your dog’s head towards their back side. Say the word “Sit” as you are doing this. If your dog turns, or jumps, stop the activity, and start over. Remember to use positive reinforcement and motivational words throughout your training session so your dog knows that you are happy with them and what they are doing. Regardless of if your dog does the wrong thing, find a way to encourage them with each try.

-       As you are moving the treat back, your dog should naturally move into a seated position. Reward your dog for NOT jumping, turning, or getting distracted. This will help them keep engaged with the training session.

Step 3: Once your dog is in the seated position, reward them with the treat in your distribution hand! Do this as soon as they are seated, which lets the dog that they are doing the right thing and will influence them to do the same act again. This is otherwise known a positive reinforcement.

-       Never press your dog’s butt down. Have patience instead. Pushing their bottom down could cause them to become frustrated or confused. Give them time to do the trick. And if after 15 to 20 minutes it does not work, pause the training session and return to the same activity the next day.

How to Sit Pretty

Step 4: Sit Pretty

-       If your dog is having no trouble with sitting, or if you have already mastered training them to sit. You can teach them to “sit pretty.”

-       After your dog is in the sitting position, hold the treat over their head, and say “sit.” When your dog is in the sitting position, reward them and take another treat from your supply hand. Slowly raise the treat in your distribution hand out of the reach of your dog, so they try to get the treat, and say “sit pretty.” Your dog should reach for the treat but should not raise their back legs from a seated position. Again, if your dog does not do the activity in the right way, do not reward your dog, as they will become confused with the words being said to them and the activity that is connected to that word. Remain patient and come back to it another time if either you or your pup begin to get frustrated.

-       Remember to always keep a positive tone when training your dog. Like us, they require proper motivation to keep them going and confident.

Step 5: Your dog should now be in a begging position, with their paws raised and their hind legs in a seated position. Wait about 3-5 seconds, as your pup begs and balances for the treat before rewarding them. Your dog will try to convince you to give them extra treats - stay strong! If they struggle with balance, use your arm to give them assistance. Then, immediately reward your dog for sitting pretty!

In conclusion, teaching your dog to sit can be a breeze or it can be a bit of a struggle, depending on the type of breed, age, and cognitive ability of your dog. Always encourage your dog (and yourself) to do better during training. Keep a positive tone, and if one of you begins to lose interest, end the training session. Finally, always end on a good note, you want training to be fun and productive for your dog. You do not want to stress them out or frustrate them. So, have confidence and train your dog daily for at least 15 minutes; but, not more than 20.

What is your dog’s favorite trick? Comment below send us an email at pupsandsuchtreats@gmail.com!

Thank you to Narzuma Sultana for copy editing this blog.

References:

Gibeault, S. (March 2024). “How to teach your dog sit.” American Kennel Club. https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/training/how-to-teach-your-dog-to-sit/.

Gould. W.R. (November 2023). “How to teach a dog to sit. A step-by-step guide.” Chewy. https://be.chewy.com/basic-dog-training-commands-sit/.