If you’re thinking of getting a puppy, training your new friend to sit on command is one of the best things you can do. Because “sit” is called a “primary command” in dog training, it’s easier and faster to teach your puppy than a more complicated command.
A dog that can do “sit” will be more controllable when eating, for example, or when it is excited and wants to jump up and get your attention.
Training a puppy to sit is one of the easiest tasks you can teach them. It is all about positive reinforcement and taking things slowly for a happier, well-adjusted dog.
You need to be patient, and remember that your puppy will need training again as they get older.
When is the Perfect Time to Start Training My Puppy?
Puppies are adorable, but training them can be a challenge. An important decision for any dog owner is when to start training.
Well, it’s never too early to start training a puppy- even at six weeks old. The sooner you start, the faster you can get your puppy housebroken and ready for anything.
But studies show that a puppy younger than eight weeks can start to learn. Besides, if you have other pets or young children, it is often helpful to start training when the puppy is still young.
To start training, you will need to choose the right training method for your situation. If the mother dog is still feeding your puppy, she will naturally begin housebreaking him.
You Can Train Your Puppy!
Training a puppy to sit is a fundamental command that all puppy owners should teach their pup. The sit command is taught with hand signals and treats, and the dog will learn the command by learning the verbal signal, hand signal, and treat placement.
The best way to train a puppy is with patience, repetition, consistency, and treats. (It also doesn’t hurt to have a clicker handy!)
Since no two dogs are exactly alike, you’ll need to experiment a little to find the approach that works best for your pup. And of course, there is a guide on how to train your puppy to sit that you can teach your fur baby.
Check out these two methods:
Method #1 Capturing
If you want to train your puppy to sit, you will need to capture his attention. There are a few ways to do this, and they all involve either an object or a command. You can use his favorite toy, or you can use the command “sit.”
Here are the important training steps:
- Take a small handful of dog food or treats and place them in front of your puppy. Do this several times on various days over the next few weeks, and each time you will be adding another dog food or treat to what is in front of your puppy.
- When the puppy sits, give him the treat and praise him.
- Once your puppy has been doing this for a while, try standing behind your puppy while holding all the food in your hand so that he can’t see it. As soon as he sits down, say “Yes!” and give him the food from your hand.
- Then, start by moving to stand or sit behind him. He should turn his head to look at you as he does so.
- Once he starts to understand that he gets the food, not when he’s sitting but when you say the word, repeat the process with a small amount of food on the floor in front of your puppy.
- Repeat this whenever you want the puppy to sit.
Whichever you choose, you are going to need to be consistent and patient. Remember, training a puppy to sit can take time, but regularity and consistency will pay off in the end.
Method #2 Luring
Luring your puppy to sit can be a great way to start the training process. You can also use a food treat, but luring is the best for teaching your puppy how to sit.
- You will have to get your puppy to sit on his own. To do this, you will need to find a time when the puppy is not distracted, preferably when he is lying down.
- Get down on your hands and knees in front of your puppy, holding a treat in front of his nose to lure him into place.
- When he is relatively still, you can walk over to him and call his name.
- The puppy should respond, and when he does, lift his bottom-up, praise him and give a treat.
- Repeat this a couple of times. By repeating this exercise a few times, the puppy will eventually realize that it is, in fact, the hand signal that means ‘sit.’
If you want your puppy to sit while you are eating, you can use food as a lure to encourage him to learn how to do this trick.
This is a great thing to teach your puppy because it will save you from constantly bending over to pick up your puppy and place him down. This is also a good trick to teach your puppy if he tends to nibble on your shoes or socks.
Pet Owners Also Commits Training Mistakes
Training a puppy to sit is an easy way to improve your dog’s behavior, but dog owners often make several mistakes while training their dogs to sit. To keep the process as smooth as possible, avoid the below five common mistakes:
- One of the most common mistakes owners make when training a puppy is to use physical force. This makes it difficult for the dog to learn to follow simple orders and makes it more likely to grow up to be aggressive. Instead, start training your puppy on how to sit when you ask him to do it.
- Trying to train their dogs too young. When you get a new dog, you might want to start training immediately. However, if your dog is less than three months old, it is best to wait until the dog is a little older before you begin. Dogs under 16 weeks cannot be reliably house trained because they cannot control their bladders.
- Food is not a reward. Food is what puppies eat. If you want to train your puppy to sit, hold some cheese in your hand, and let your puppy smell it. If the puppy sits, give him the cheese. If the puppy does not sit, do not give the puppy the cheese. If the puppy does sit, do not take the cheese away, punishing the puppy.
Learning how to train a puppy to sit is a process. To train your puppy to sit, you must understand that you have to start with the puppy’s natural behaviors and then teach the puppy what you want it to do. The key is to be consistent and patient when teaching your puppy to sit.
Dog Treats Are Not Always the Solution
When training a dog to sit, it is important to remember that the dog will likely view sitting as a reward for doing something else, such as sitting while you put on its leash or feeding it.
To get your dog to associate sitting with sitting, avoid using treats and other rewards when trying to teach it to sit.
Avoid using the word “sit” while you are training your dog to sit, as the dog will learn that sitting and the word “sit” mean the same thing. Instead, use the command “down” and use your hands to help encourage the dog to sit.
Teaching your puppy to sit is a two-part process. The first step is to get your puppy to put its butt on the ground. The second step is to get its butt to stay on the floor.
Dogs respond to body language more than verbal commands, so the more relaxed and confident you are, the more likely your puppy will learn.
Other Important Things to Consider When Training a Puppy
Before you can teach a puppy to sit, first, you need to make sure that he’s housebroken. If you’ve just brought home a new puppy or adopted an adult dog, he’ll likely have no idea what you’re talking about when you issue commands.
The most important thing is to keep his living area clean and provide him with a place to do his business. This can be an indoor dog kennel (if you don’t want to take him outside a lot) or a small area in your yard.
Also, it’s important to think about the consistency, rule, and timing of the training. You’ll need to develop a method of rewarding your puppy, to reinforce the behavior.
The best way to get the puppy to learn how to sit is to reward him every time he sits. You can give him a treat, stroke his head or speak in a high-pitched voice to praise him.
The key to successfully training a puppy to sit is to set small goals for your puppy to achieve and reinforce those goals with treats and praise.
By setting small goals and rewarding your puppy every time she reaches those goals, your puppy will quickly learn to sit on command, making her a more obedient and well-behaved pet.
