Sit
Sit is one of the most basic and easy commands to teach your dog. Since it’s rewarded so often the dog tends to offer the behavior up often, which results in a polite dog in a neutral position. It’s also an easy go-to-command for when you need to give your dog something to do quickly.
Videos
Teach Your Dog to Sit
Learn the steps in teaching the “Sit” command.
How to Teach Sit
Steps
Phase 1 - Acquisition (Learning and Luring)
Lure into Sit: Hold a treat near your dog’s nose and slowly move it backward and upward (palm up). Keep the treat close to their nose to maintain interest.
Mark and Reward: When their hindquarters touch the ground, mark and treat. Repeat several times.
Fade the Treat: Remove the treat and use the same hand motion to lure. Mark and reward when they sit.
Shape the Signal: Gradually move your hand farther from the dog, shaping it into a hand signal until they respond consistently without a lure.
*Since we are just in the luring stage and teaching a behavior without a verbal command that has an implied stay you can use either your continuation or terminal marker.
Phase 2 - Automatic (Motivation)
Name the Behavior: Once your dog sits 5/5 times from the hand signal alone, say “Sit,” then cue with the hand signal. Mark and reward when they sit.
Use Terminal Marker: For the first few repetitions, use a terminal marker to release them immediately after rewarding. This allows for quick repetitions and helps them perform faster by associating the command with quicker rewards.
Refine: Say “Sit,” then use the hand cue. Once they consistently respond to the verbal cue alone, move to the next phase. If they hesitate, help them with the hand signal and stay patient.
*I follow the rule “Don’t name it until you love it,” meaning I wait to add the “Sit” command until the dog consistently performs a clean sit with the hand signal. It’s fine if you don’t reach Step 5 in the first week—focus on building and rewarding the behavior you want.
Phase 3 - Generalization (Distractions)
So now your dog sits every time you say “Sit” and you rarely need to help them with a hand cue. Congratulations! It’s time to show the dog that “sit” means “sit” everywhere else too. You can reference the Phases of Learning page to get more ideas on how to help generalize. Here are a few to get you started:
Change the Picture: Practice with your dog next to you instead of in front. Use a hand signal if needed or go back to luring briefly.
Practice in New Locations: Work in different rooms with varying positions (front, side, back-facing).
Go Outside: Practice in low-distraction outdoor settings. Be prepared to start over with luring if necessary.
Add Distractions: Back indoors, introduce distractions like toys or movement. Use a leash to manage them and increase distance if needed.
Week 1 Homework
Practice Phase 1 (luring) every day 1-3x a day.
Once you’ve had a couple of successful luring sessions, try moving your hand in an upward sweep towards you instead of over your dogs head. Slowly shaping a hand signal that you do while standing straight up and not needing your hand directly in the dogs face.
By the end of the week you should easily have a dog that sits, if not distracted, every time you signal with your hand.
Remember to try to remove the food from your hand lure as soon as possible.
Week 2 Homework
If your dog will sit on the hand signal 5/5 times then you can start saying “Sit” before you give the hand signal.
Practice the steps in Phase 2 every day 1-3x a day.
The goal at the end of this week is to have your dog sit on either the verbal or physical hand signal without food in your hands.
Week 3 Homework
Continue asking your dog to sit with either verbal or visual cues. They should respond equally well to each one.
Don’t hesitate to HELP them with a hand signal after your verbal command if they are distracted or confused.
Start fading the treats (intermittent reinforcement) when they are responding to the verbal command most of the time without needing help.
Start working on generalizing the “Sit” by practicing the steps in Phase 3. Go back to 100% reinforcement in any new or distracting environment.
You may also be able to work on the implied stay if they are responding well to the verbal command.
Week 4 Homework
Start asking for sits randomly throughout the day and before you let your dog do something they enjoy, like going outside, getting food, toys, etc.
Continue to work on saying the command only once, then following up with hand signal if they need help. Repeating yourself is not helping.
Continue practicing the implied stay and creating distance and duration.
The goal at the end of this week is to have a dog that understands “Sit” means to put their butt down wherever they are (not always in front of you) and to stay in their sit until released. Try for a 1 minute sit-stay while you walk 5-10 feet away.
Week 5 Homework…and Beyond
You will continue to help them generalize “Sit” and to work in more and more distracting environments.