Training your new dog to sit should be fun, and a positive experience so your dog wants to continue learning. Sessions should be short, lasting no more than 15 minutes and should be undertaken several times a day.

The sit command is very important; being a skill on which more advanced training is based. Sitting when told prevents unwanted behaviors (for example jumping up), improves your relationship with your dog, and reinforces your position as pack leader.

There are different methods of training your new to sit. Some people train by holding the collar and pushing the dog into a sitting position. This may work, but may also be a problem if your dog has a painful back or hips. It is also not a positive way to train; luring and capturing are much more positive methods.

When capturing you start informally; if you see your dog sit, say “sit” at the moment they do and give them a reward. Luring is as it sounds, you use something of value that the dog will follow until it achieves the position that you want.

To train the sit:

1. Find a quiet place to train. Have a reward (treats or a toy) close at hand.

2. With your dog standing, hold the treat in front of, and just above their nose and move it up and over their head. As they follow it, they will sit (canine anatomy makes it impossible for them not to sit or lift their front legs when they lift their head up and back). Be careful not to hold the treat too high above the nose or your dog may jump up or back off.

3. At the exact moment the dog sits, say “sit” (so they will associate the action with the word) and give him the treat followed by praising in an upbeat manner.

4. Repeat several times but do not overdo it. Have a break and come back later.

5. As your dog becomes more reliable, train in different areas and with different levels of distraction.

Training your new dog to sit may take some time, especially if they have come from a stressful environment such as a shelter. Be persistent, and reward any progress that is made, even if it is not the complete skill. With perseverance you will succeed and in the process will develop a bond with your dog who will be eager to learn other behaviors.