"Sit" and "stay" are usually the first commands a puppy learns. You'll use these commands everyday and everywhere. In this article, you'll learn how to train your puppy to sit and stay on command.



Prepare For Training

For your training time, choose a quiet place with few distractions. This will help your puppy focus. Keep your training sessions short, working with your puppy's short attention span.

Grab a handful of treats. Five or six tiny pieces of meat will be enough. Give commands in an excited tone of voice. Only give the command once. If you repeat a command, your puppy will learn to wait for you to say it a few times before he gives you the behavior.

Start sessions with a review before moving on to new commands. End with a success. Make training a game and have fun. If you feel frustrated, take a break and try again later in the day.

Get the Behavior

First, get the behavior. Then, give it a name. Begin with your puppy in front of you, facing you. You are going to 'lure' him into a sitting position. Hold the treat to his nose. Slowly lift the treat straight up until your puppy's nose is pointing at the ceiling. Then slowly move the treat back over his head toward his tail. As his head goes back, his rear will go down.

The moment his rear touches the ground, say "Good!" or "Yes!". By doing this you are "marking the behavior". He might get up when you say "good". That's fine. Give him a treat and praise him. Try it a few more times.

Some puppies will back up without sitting. If this happens, move to a spot close to a wall or a big piece of furniture. Are you moving the treat too quickly? Slow it down. If you're still having problems getting your puppy to sit, break the behavior down into smaller sections. Reward him when his nose is straight up. Then, when he starts to sit. And finally, reward for a complete "sit".

Give It a Name

After a few sessions, your puppy will begin to sit as soon as you lift the treat. Now it's time to name the behavior. With your puppy in front of you, hold the treat behind your back. Say "Sit" and wait about 3 seconds. If he sits, say "good", reward and praise him. If not, put the treat to his nose and lure him into a "sit". Then say "good", reward and praise him. Try it again. After a few tries, he should be sitting on command.

Adding "Stay"

Start by waiting a second before saying "good". Increase your time by one second until your puppy is "staying" for 5 seconds without getting up. If he gets up before you say "good", no reward. Your puppy must wait until you say "good" before he gets up.

If he continues to pop up too soon, you might be moving too fast. Shorten the wait time and practice it a few more times before moving on. This is where patience pays off. Resist the urge to move too quickly.

When your puppy will wait for 5 seconds, it's time to add the command. Have him "sit". Say "stay" and wait a few seconds. If he stays, say "good", reward and praise him. If he gets up too soon, no reward. Try it again.

Finally, watch your body language. Your puppy can anticipate the end of a behavior by reading your unconscious body movements. Don't move until you say "good" or "yes". With patience and practice, you can train your puppy to sit and stay on command.