Teach Your Dog To SIT

Even with a puppy as young as five or six weeks old, he will learn to sit after only a day or two of you putting him into a sitting position while saying sit if he gets praise each time.

Sit training is easiest with the choke chain collar and leash.

Have your dog at your left side. Say sit as you pull up on the leash with your right hand, and gently "push" his rear end down with your left hand. With most dogs, the "push" needed will only be a gentle guiding. As soon as he is in the sitting position, say good boy!, good boy! Do this several times, and he will understand what sit means. If you have a very large dog that just grins at you when you try to push is rear end down, you will need to get a little tricky. You could (1) stand in front of him (facing him), say sit as you lift his face up with your hands and start to walk toward him (almost into him) and push his head back just an inch or so. The combination of his head going up and back and his body starting to go back to avoid you walking into him may "push" him right into a sit position. Good boy! Or (2), you could stand to the right of him and say sit as you really pull up on his leash with your both hands. His butt will "fall" to the ground. Good boy! This sounds mean, but this will all happen in a matter of seconds and he won't be hurt at all. In fact, it will be such a shock to him that you will probably never have to do it again.

You may help the sit command along by giving him a healthy treat and saying good boy! Treats are too distracting to use while heeling. For some great treats, click here.

From now on, you will begin each heeling session with the dog in a sitting position, and you will tell him to sit every time you stop. "Heel" said outside of going for a walk actually means for him to immediately come sit next to your left heel.

Next - Down (Lay Down) is a important. Click to learn Down

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