Basic obedience commands: Sit

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"Sit" is one of the simplest commands, but it's incredibly useful--after all, your dog can't jump all over a guest, dash into traffic, or do any number of things you don't want her to do when she's sitting.

How to teach "sit": The food lure method from a standing position

This method uses a food treat or piece of kibble both to lure your dog into the sitting position and to reward her for responding to the command. If your dog isn't very motivated by food, you can use a favorite toy in place of the treat.

Slowly move the treat from just in front of your dog's nose, then up and back over her muzzle to between her eyes. Keep the treat just an inch or so away from your dog the whole time. As your dog's head tilts up to follow the treat, her rear end should automatically go down.
As soon as your dog's butt hits the ground, praise her and give her the treat.
Repeat the exercise several times.
Once your dog gets the hang of it, introduce the verbal cue: Tell her "sit" just before you move the treat from in front of her nose to above her head.
Once your dog starts to respond reliably, begin to offer treats sporadically, only for the quickest, crispest sits. Eventually you can phase out food treats entirely.

If it's not working

Your dog jumps up. You're holding the food lure too high--try again with the food just an inch above your dog's head.

Your dog backs up. You may be moving the treat too far back over your dog's head; aim for between her eyes. If that doesn't work, you can try putting your dog in a corner when you practice the "sit" command.

How to teach "sit": The food lure method from a down position

With your dog lying down, quickly move the food lure up and back over her muzzle, starting from in front of her nose and moving toward her eyes.
As your dog's head goes up to follow the treat, she should rise into a sitting position. Praise her as soon as her butt hits the floor, and reward her with the treat.
Repeat the exercise several times.
Once your dog gets the hang of it, introduce the verbal cue: Tell her "sit" just before you move the treat from in front of her nose to above her head.
When your dog starts to respond reliably, begin to offer treats sporadically, only for the quickest, crispest sits. Eventually you can phase out food treats entirely.

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Dogs differ in how they respond to food lures during training. If you've got a finicky pooch who isn't all that motivated by food, try using an extra-tasty treat (freeze-dried liver is a common favorite); or do your training before meals, when your dog has a good appetite. If your dog is so eager to get the food lure that she can't focus on anything else, try training after meals or using plain old kibble.

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