This is the first lesson in our Pup U series, Teaching Your Dog to Sit. In this lesson you will learn to use a food lure to position your dog properly. 

First, we can test whether your dog will follow a food lure. Take a treat and pinch it between your fingers. Then, let your dog lick and nibble the treat while you guide him to walk forward for a few steps. If he stops licking, you may need to try moving slower.

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Find the Right Treat

The right treat can make this easier - sometimes, a squishy treat, like a small cube of cheese, is a great option. For other dogs, we might put a little cream cheese on a spoon or in a kong and hold that to guide him. For dogs who are nervous, we may need to first work on taking the treat out of our hands or inviting the dog to stretch forward slightly. 

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If your dog takes treats roughly, you might try putting something like canned food or cream cheese in a kong or on a wooden spoon. You can let your dog lick this as you guide him into position. We can wear garden gloves for the first session or two with some puppies with sharp teeth. 

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Get the Sit Position

Once your dog can follow the treat, you can move the treat up and over his head to guide him into a sitting position. If he jumps, we know that the treat is too high. If he backs up, we can move more slowly or work in a smaller space, such as a kitchen or bathroom. Finally, if he sits or his knees fold, you can release the treat into his mouth.

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If your dog is sitting all the way, you can give multiple treats, one at a time, to keep him sitting there for a second or two. Then invite him up with a release word such as “Free” or “All Done!” and then encourage him to move. We want to build in a little bit of stay, even from the beginning.

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If he gets up before you ask, that’s ok - just try again and reward more rapidly next time. 

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Tips for Dogs Reluctant to Sit

Another trick is to try this on an unstable surface, such as his dog bed. Or if he’s allowed on furniture, you can try your bed or the couch. The uneven surface can make it more likely that a dog will move into a sit.

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Please resist the temptation to push him into a sit. We usually want dogs to be comfortable with touch and not move away from touch. This will be important for grooming, vet exams, and first aid. 

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Next steps

Repeat this until your dog is quickly following the treat into a sit position. You may notice we aren’t using a “Sit!” command yet. If we add the cue too early, many dogs think the treat is also part of the signal. Then we have a hard time fading out the sight of the food. So instead, focus on repetitions to build fluency and confidence.

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Ready for the next step? Check out Sit 201: Fading the Lure or get personalized one-on-one help today!