Sit

I have found there are a few approaches to teaching the sit command and that many trainers and articles have recommended starting with this command before all others. Due to this, I started with it, and it became a good basis for all the other commands that I followed with.

I began to train Saffy with this command in my home because it was quiet and she would not become distracted. I found it was fairly simple to teach. I readied some treats, then gave the command "Saffy! Sit!" Immediately following, I placed my hand on the back of her hips and gently pushed her into a sitting position. Once she assumed the full seated position I praised and rewarded her with a small treat. Repetition and consistency are key to training this.

She soon became proficient with this and I began to present her with more challenging situations outside the home environment; such as our daily walk strolling past the loud group playing volleyball or basketball in the nearby park, or when a passerby approached, or at the corner stoplights where busy traffic would rumble by. At first, she was easily distracted but she picked up the command quickly and now rarely fails on it.

Another great way to reinforce this is to have her sit for every meal. I started this early on along with the stay and come commands when I was ready for her to eat. In fact, I have read that dogs should earn every meal and this is the best one to start with.

Nowadays, I can pretty much always count on her to sit when I command her...