Teaching Your Dog to Sit
Read this lesson first, and then practice it with your dog.

1. Load up your pocket (or a bag or pouch) with treats.

2. Take your dog to an area where there won’t be a lot of distractions.

3. While your dog is standing, put a treat in your hand, and move your hand to within an
inch or so of your dog’s nose. Make sure she smells the treat hidden in your hand and is
focusing her attention on it.

4. Move your hand slowly backward, about an inch over her head, between her ears,
toward her tail. Keep your hand low over her head so she doesn’t try to leap up to get
the treat.

5. As your dog watches your hand with the treat move just above her head, she will
raise her chin up—and her butt will plop down into a sitting position. When that
happens, immediately give her the treat and say “Good!”

6. Now move a few steps away. Get your dog to stand and follow you.

7. Repeat Steps 3, 4 and 5.

8. Did you notice you haven’t told her to “Sit” yet? Don’t say that until you can get her to
sit consistently by moving your treat-filled hand over her head, toward her tail. Once
you’re sure she’s going to do this properly the next time you do that, say “Sit” a split
second before you start moving your hand. When she sits, immediately reward her with
the treat and “Good!”

9. Repeat this process five times, saying “Sit” just before she does so.