The first thing you should do when teaching your dog to sit is to place it on a lead and a check chain. The correct size of the chain should be about 40 inches (1 m) larger than your dog’s neck size. When fitting the chain, open it up to the shape of a “P” while facing the dog. One thing we would like to remind you about here is that the check chain is not designed to choke your dog. The dog is only meant to react to the sound the check chain makes.

The “sit” is one of the easiest obedience commands to teach a dog. Firstly, place your dog on lead. Holding the lead in your right hand about 4 inches (10 cm) from the dog’s neck, place your left hand, using only the thumb and index finger, palm down on the dog’s rump. Pull the lead back with your right hand as you gently press down with your left hand. Say “Sit” in your normal speaking voice, releasing the pressure as soon as the dog sits.

Also let the lead out as it does, and remove your hand from its rump. Stand up to your full height slowly, and remain standing in the same position. Do not take any steps away. If the dog stays there, praise it, saying “Good dog” in a very soft, encouraging voice. If the dog moves off the spot, growl your reprimand word—”Bah” or “Bad”—in a loud, harsh tone, and then repeat the “sit”" Procedure again, making sure that you growl the reprimand word the second the dog moves, and not before.

Warning: Never leave a check chain on your dog when it is unattended. Many dogs have choked to death when their check chains were caught on a fence or a pole.

Do not rush at your dog or grab it if it moves. You have the lead, so the dog cannot go far. The calmer you remain, the faster your dog will learn. The only time it should hear the reprimand word is at the precise moment it moves— unless it starts to wriggle and try to escape while you are attempting to make it sit.

Then, of course, you would reprimand the dog with “Bah” or “Bad.”

Never scold a dog while you are placing it back at the spot where you first left it in the “sit”. If, say, you point at your dog and growl, “You naughty dog, do not move,” this reprimand will only confuse the dog. Dogs learn by association, and your dog will think it is getting into trouble for sitting.

Remember to keep your commands and reprimands brief and to the point. For example, say, “Sit. Good dog,” when your dog obeys you, or “Sit. Bah,” when it does not follow your instructions. By talking in sentences you will slow down your dog’s capacity to learn the exercises quickly, and by reprimanding at the wrong time you will fail to get across to the dog just exactly what it is you do not want it to do—that is, move from the “sit” position.

If you use this “sit stay” technique, your dog should take about five to 10 minutes to learn to sit, and then hold that position reliably while you stand beside it. You should therefore keep repeating the exercise for at least five minutes—unless, of course, the dog takes a shorter time than this to show you that it will not move from the spot until you allow it to do so.

Related posts:

1. Dog Training – Teaching your dog to walk correctly off the Lead
2. Dog Training – Train your Dog to Sit Stay when Feeding – Good Table Manners
3. Dog Training – Teaching your dog the “Finish” command
4. Training Your Pet Dog to Stand
5. Dog Training – The early basics of Dog Training – preparing for Independence