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Teach your dog to sit and stay
Members only
This resource is a special perk for our members. To join us, first is to book one of our services. If you’re already a member, log in to enjoy full access.
This game teaches your dog to hold their “sit” for a little longer, even while you’re rewarding them! It’s all about building their self-control and focus, helping them understand that staying put is super rewarding. You’ll be adding brilliant duration to their sit, perfect for everyday calm and good manners!
With practice this will help you achieve:
- Waiting patiently at the door
- Staying on a mat at a cafe
- Holding a sit for photos
What you'll need
- Plenty of super yummy high-value treats
- A quiet, low-distraction space to practice
Step-by-step
- Ask for a sit: First, ask your dog to sit in a clear voice.
- Reward with head tilted up: Give your dog a treat, but here’s the trick: place the treat just above their nose so their head tilts slightly upwards as they take it. This helps them stay in the sit position.
- Calm feedback: While they’re still sitting, give them calm, happy feedback like “Good!” Then, get another treat ready to reward them again for staying in the sit.
- Build up treats: The goal is to deliver about three or four pieces of food to your dog while they are still holding that perfect sit. This really builds the value for staying!
- Release and break: After a few successful treats, give them a little break. Use a clear release cue like “Okay!” to let them know the game is done and they can move.
- Next steps: Take a look at the video ‘Progressing sit and wait 3 Ds’ to take this training to the next level!
Top tips for success
- Keep your voice calm and steady while they’re in the sit. Too much excitement can make them pop out of position!
- If your dog comes out of the sit too early, no worries! Just calmly reset and start again. They’ll soon get that staying put gets them more treats.
- Make sure your rewards are super motivating to keep them engaged.
- Keep sessions short and sweet to build enthusiasm and avoid frustration.
Members only
This resource is a special perk for our members. To join us, first is to book one of our services. If you’re already a member, log in to enjoy full access.
Wish your dog would stay put for longer?
It's amazing when your dog can hold a "sit" for more than a second, especially when you need them to be calm! If you're struggling to add duration to your dog's sit, or they just can't resist popping up, I'm here to help. A personalised One-to-One session can turn those fidgety moments into super steady stays!
