Yes you can teach even an old dog new tricks but this method of teaching your dog to sit will work with small puppies all the way to the older dogs! Of course its important to remember that every dog will learn things at their own pace but I can tell you that I have never seen this not work after just a few minutes of use. Like I said, this will work with your new puppy and with your older dog too!
So here is what you do. Get your dog or puppy and get a couple of doggy treats. I prefer to use baby carrots that I have cut up into little pieces because the carrot is better for your dog than a bunch of calorie filled dog treats. If you don’t have carrots and you just have the traditional doggy cooking then just break up the cookie into smaller pieces for your training session.
To get your dog or puppy to sit you will need to give him or her a treat. After he or she has finished with the treat show them that you have another treat in your hand and then close your hand around the treat. Now say “sit” as you hold your hand above the dogs head. Don’t do it in a teasing manner but hold it in a position where they will need to lift their nose up to look at your hand. Your dog might not get it and might not sit on the first try but keep trying. Let the dog see what’s in your hand, and lift your hand up above its head and then slightly back so that the natural thing to do is to sit down and lift their nose to see your hand with the treat in it.
Once your dog has successfully sat down give them the treat and a little love and praise and then do it again. Usually I will do this till the dogs sits ten times, and that’s why I use carrots or broken up pieces of treats. We want to teach your dog to sit but not make it fat. Most dogs will understand that when you have your hand over their head and you say sit that it means that they will get a treat if then sit down.
After just a few days of this training you should be able to hold your hand like you have a treat in it and say sit and your dog will sit. If you don’t have a treat don’t forget to praise your dog and give it a pet for the behavior. Remember that dogs really do love to please you! Once you have been doing this for a week or two (my dogs took two week) then you should be able to just hold your hand in that position and not say a word and your dog will sit! I have been working with mine for a few years now and they are to the point that I could be on the other side of the park and if they see my hand like that they will stop in their tracks and sit down right where they are!
